


Every Glorious Day Rather Than Sorrow

by pezzax



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Powers, Attempt at Humor, Background Relationships, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Going Seventeen Debate Night, Happy birthday Boo Seungkwan, Horanghae needs to be a tag, I hope Seungkwan has a wonderful birthday in 2021!!, Inspired by events on Going Seventeen, Jeon Wonwoo-centric, M/M, Mentioned Bang Chan and Lee Felix, Mentioned Bangtan Boys | BTS Ensemble, Mentioned Jeon Jungkook, Mentioned Kim Namjoon | RM, Mentioned Kim Taehyung | V, Mentioned TOMORROW X TOGETHER Ensemble, Minor Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Yoon Jeonghan, Minor Kim Mingyu/Lee Jihoon | Woozi, Not Actually Unrequited Love, POV Boo Seungkwan, POV Chwe Hansol, POV Jeon Wonwoo, POV Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Teleportation, Transformation, Unrequited Love, going seventeen, horanghae, hoshi's tiger agenda, time reversal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:21:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 32,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26918776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pezzax/pseuds/pezzax
Summary: When Wonwoo went to sleep last night, Seungkwan and Seokmin were human and the rest of the members didn't have super powers - or, well, powers, because none of them seem all that super. He's convinced that it's up to him to return everyone to normal...their usual levels of normal, anyway. Even so, he soon realizes that this crazy alternate reality has some differences that make him want to stick around.(Based on Going Seventeen Debate Night 1 and 2.)
Relationships: Boo Seungkwan/Chwe Hansol | Vernon, Boo Seungkwan/Chwe Hansol | Vernon/Jeon Wonwoo, Boo Seungkwan/Jeon Wonwoo, Chwe Hansol | Vernon/Jeon Wonwoo
Comments: 9
Kudos: 32
Collections: Seventeen Rare Pair Fest: 2 Rare 2 Pair





	1. Wonwoo

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [SVTRarePairFest2](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/SVTRarePairFest2) collection. 



> \- I used the old room assignments, but basically pretended that they all share the common living room, dining room, and kitchen areas  
> \- Title is from Kidult (Genius translations)  
> 

The morning starts pretty much like any other. Wonwoo awakens to sunlight slanting through a small slit between the blackout curtains covering the window by his bed. He turns groggy eyes to the sleeping form in the bed across from his, feeling slightly jealous of the shadows enveloping Seungcheol's side of the room that allow him to sleep in. Although, really, he needs to get up anyway. They both do, but he certainly isn't going to wake his hyung. After last night, the leader needs every moment of peace he can snatch before they all wake to deal with the fallout of last night's argument. Ugh. Argument is an understatement. More like an explosion that threatens to rip the band - his twelve best friends, practically his brothers - apart at the seams.

Wonwoo pads quietly from the room, stopping in the bathroom for a quick shower before breakfast. Who knows if he'll have a chance to take one later if he doesn't do it now. 

As he considers the events of the night before, Wonwoo has to admit that he isn't surprised. Not really. He's seen it coming for months now. They've all seen Seungkwan's pent up frustrations leaking out a little at a time. Pretty much every one of them has, at one point or another over the past several months, responded to his outbursts with snarky responses of their own, or taunts, or even yelling if the cameras weren't around. But none of it has been enough to release the pressure of Seungkwan's emotions, or settle the issues that have been festering between them all. 

Instead of talking things out, like they used to do every time there was a problem, Seungkwan has just been taking as many solo game-show appearances as possible. His absences have added to everyone else's annoyance at him, rather than alleviating it. He's been gone so much lately that his parts in their recent songs have even been reduced from the usual amount. If this continues, he'll be hard pressed to continue to claim his status as the main vocalist. 

Although, after last night, if Seungkwan's threats are anything to go by, it's possible that his status as a member of the band, much less a main vocalist, is in question. Wonwoo can't believe that Seungkwan threatened to leave. 

Sure, he's been expecting everything to come to a head. He wasn't surprised at how angry Hoshi, in particular, had been at the start of the argument last night, considering how Hoshi has been taunting Seungkwan lately...taunts that are captured on camera and go well beyond the level of good fun that was intended. But he was definitely surprised when Seungkwan shouted that maybe everyone would just be happier if he went back to Jeju - for good. Even more so when Hoshi continued to egg him on, unbothered by the implications of the threat, shouting back that he wished Seungkwan would stop being such a selfish brat and learn to get along with everyone. 

And most telling of all was that Hansol hadn't even stepped in to smooth things over. Hansol was always the voice of reason, the calm one, who stayed cool-headed no matter what. Even when Seungkwan was at his most emotional, Hansol could soothe him. 

But that's likely the crux of the problem, isn't it? Hansol and Seungkwan argued on the elder's birthday, and still, after several months, weren't speaking more than the barest of necessary conversation with one another. Wonwoo suspects that fixing the problems between those two would have quickly resolved all of the other issues. Seungkwan would have stopped being pissy with everyone else. Everyone else would have forgiven him, given a bit of time. 

Things have escalated beyond that point now. Everyone is angry with their most emotional member. Where before, they'd always called him the mood maker of the group because he loved to lift everyone's mood, these days he's been spreading his misery to everyone else just as generously. And every single one of them is beyond done with it. 

All things considered, maybe Wonwoo is a little bit glad that things have finally come to a head. As soon as everyone wakes up, they’ll talk things through, and hopefully solve all of the issues. He's tired of walking on eggshells. He's even tired of taunting Seungkwan with the rest of them. He’d recently stopped the younger man from talking on one of their Going Seventeen episodes, and rather than finding it fun, it had made him feel somewhat tarnished…untrue to himself. He's always been a bit envious of Hansol and Seungkwan - never quite sure which of them he was more envious of - because if he's being honest with himself, he would jump at the chance to date either of them. Or both. They're both amazing in their own very unique ways. And, all things considered, he would much rather try soothing Seungkwan with kisses than taunting him. But that has always been Hansol's role, and Wonwoo respects his fellow rapper too much to encroach on their relationship. Even when it's so obviously on rocky ground right now. Maybe especially not when it's on rocky ground. And so, he's just been continuing to do as he's always done, observing them from afar, always hyper aware of the two of them, whether they're together or alone. 

And as he considers that, he has to admit that perhaps last night's argument was more of a surprise to the other members, who aren't so attuned to two-thirds of the maknae line. 

After his shower, Wonwoo heads to the kitchen and finds Jeonghan and Minghao sitting at the table chatting while eating breakfast. He mumbles "Morning," leaving off the 'good' since they won't know if it's a good morning until later. The others echo him while he busies himself making a quick bowl of chapagetti. He has a feeling he's going to need the energy to deal with the day. 

"Mmmmm, thanks Hannie." Apparently Joshua is up as well now. 

But when Wonwoo turns to the table with his bowl, he isn't in the room. "Didn't I hear Shua just now?"

"Yeah," Jeonghan replies, not looking up from the magazine he's reading, "he just popped in to grab the cup of coffee I made him, like every morning."

Something feels a bit off with that explanation, but Wonwoo can't quite figure out what, so he just takes his bowl to the table and joins the others. After sitting down, he notices that Minghao is eating ice cream directly out of the container for breakfast. 

Minghao. Eating out of a container. And even crazier...eating ice cream. 

Minghao never eats or drinks anything cold. 

Clearly the events of the previous night have gotten to him. He's completely cracked, if he's eating ice cream. Wonwoo doesn't want to mention it, wants to think of something else to talk about, to distract the others from the stress that is eating all of them up, but he's coming up completely blank. So instead he just goes with his usual M.O.: silence.

Regardless of his lack of conversation, his mind is working triple time. With four of them already awake, and Hoshi sleeping at his parents’ house after the argument, they need another eight members to wake before they can even begin to resolve things. That isn't nearly as big a problem as figuring out _how_ to resolve things. But he's absolutely adamant that they _will_ resolve things. He refuses to allow any outcome that involves Seungkwan going back to Jeju. He hates to even imagine a life without Seungkwan in it, in the capacity of friend, if nothing else. 

Suddenly a young boy tears through the kitchen, clutching tightly to something furry, that is making a terrible racket in his arms, Chan hot on his heels, yelling after the boy. "Junnie, come back here right this instant! You're going to trip and hurt him!" Wonwoo has met most of Chan's extended family, and doesn't think this boy is one of them, but from the glimpse he gets of him, he still thinks he looks familiar. 

As the trio circle the kitchen and then head back into the hallway, a sleepy-looking Jihoon ambles into their path. The kid - and his pet - crash into Jihoon, throwing them into a jumble of limbs on the floor that Chan is unable to avoid. As Chan lands on top, the rodent lets out a terrible screech that has Wonwoo expecting that it is severely injured, possibly even dead, judging from the way its scream stops so suddenly. From the horrified looks on the faces of his companions at the table, Jeonghan covering his mouth with a terrified yelp, they likely think the same. 

But then Wonwoo sees Jihoon, in the midst of the pile, quickly lift his index fingers to his temples and suddenly the three who'd collided are on their feet again at opposite ends of the hallway. As the boy races at top speed toward him, Jihoon steps to the side and avoids the collision altogether. 

Wonwoo looks back to his companions, surprised to see Jeonghan reading his paper as if completely unbothered by the events that just took place around him. Minghao, too, has gone back to his ice cream as if nothing odd has happened. 

"Umm, did you guys see that?" Wonwoo can't help asking. 

Jeonghan fixes him with a bored look, "Of course we did, but it's Chan’s morning to wrangle Jun-shi, so I'm not going to waste my energy getting worked up about it. If he gets too rambunctious, Seungkwan will set him straight. Goodness knows he's done so several times already."

The answer doesn't really alleviate any of Wonwoo's confusion, though, so he tries again, "But Jihoon…" and really, Wonwoo has no idea how to finish that sentence. He would be extremely happy that Mingyu interrupts it, if it weren't for Mingyu's attire throwing him for yet another loop. 

Wonwoo studies the younger, starting at his feet, and trailing all the way up to the top of his head: fuzzy socks covered by equally fuzzy slippers, a thick pair of sweatpants that look bulky enough to have additional layers underneath, a turtleneck, plus a sweater with a fur-lined hoodie over the top, a chunky knitted scarf wrapped multiple times around his neck, ear muffs, and a beanie. The outfit would be perfect for Wonwoo in the middle of winter, when they were expecting to be outside for an extended time, but is completely out of place on Mingyu...in summertime...indoors. Mingyu is typically like a heater, and Wonwoo often relies on his cuddles to warm himself. 

Wonwoo jumps to the only explanation that makes sense. "Gyu, are you getting sick?" 

But Mingyu looks confused as he replies, "Nah, I feel fine. Why? Do I look sick?" He reaches up to put a hand on his own forehead, feeling for a fever, then twists so the back of his hand is on his cheek. 

Wonwoo's confusion mounts even higher, but he answers honestly, "No, you look handsome as always, but why are you so bundled up in the middle of summer?"

Mingyu grabs a mug and fills it with steaming coffee before answering, "Ahh, you know, the air conditioning setting is always just too cold for me," then wrapping his hands around the mug as if for warmth and chugging a big gulp of the steaming hot coffee without blowing on it or giving it time to cool.

"Morning!" Joshua's second visit to the kitchen sidetracks Wonwoo once again. He sets his empty coffee mug in the sink, then turns and leans against the counter. "I just talked to Chan on my way in. He says Seokmin and Seungkwan are outside now, but since he's taking care of Jun this morning, someone else needs to remember to let them back in around lunch time."

Jeonghan distractedly responds, "We can just open a window right now. No need for anyone to go out of their way." Then, putting actions to words, he stands and walks over to the counter next to Joshua, leaning over the sink to open the small window above it. 

Without really paying any attention to Jeonghan's meaning, Wonwoo asks, "Is Seungkwan...alright?" He finally has an opening to discuss the topic that has been weighing on his mind all morning, so he continues, "I guess since he's outside with Seokmin, that means that he's at least sticking around until we can all talk things through, right?"

"Hyung, Seungkwan can't talk. He's a rat." Mingyu's words would probably have been enough, on top of everything else that has happened all morning, to shut down Wonwoo's brain for maintenance. But the thing that clenches it for him is seeing Jeonghan, now leaning against the counter next to Joshua, both arms crossed casually over his hips, and a third arm protruding from his lower back to wrap around Shua's shoulders. 

Wonwoo is barely conscious when he hits the floor. 

But he's just conscious enough to witness Jihoon doing that silly thing where he puts his index fingers to his temples and, apparently, turns back time. 

It makes no difference to Wonwoo's brain, however, because he still checks out and falls to the floor for a second time. Then a third. And a fourth. After the fifth, Jihoon curses and finally gives up. 

And then Joshua runs over and cradles Wonwoo in his arms. Through his fog of almost consciousness, Wonwoo wonders why Shua would carry him when Mingyu can lift him much more easily, before the two of them instantly teleport to the room he shares with Seungcheol. Just as Shua gently places him on his bed, he disappears from the room, leaving Wonwoo struggling with even more questions than he'd had before. 

"Hyung?" If anyone can help him, Seungcheol could. His hyung, however, is curled into a fetal position in his bed, with his pillow wrapped around his head and his arms holding the pillow in place. Wonwoo is concerned, "Hyung, are you alright?"

"Shhhhhhhhh, not so loud," the whispered response does nothing to ease Wonwoo's worries. He sits up, wanting to check on his elder, but not sure whether his body is ready to be upright again after fainting five times in quick succession. "On second thought, don't even bother talking. Your thoughts are so loud right now that I can hear them all." 

"You can…what? What the heck is going on?"

Seungcheol pulls the pillow off his head and rolls over to sit with his legs off the bed, facing Wonwoo. "Best I can tell, you woke up this morning without any memory of our abilities. But you don't seem to have amnesia, because you're worrying about things that happened last night and the months leading up to last night's argument. I don't remember an argument between Seungkwan and Hoshi last night, by the way. Seems like it was pretty bad, just from hearing your thoughts about it."

"You don't remember the argument? I don't think there's any chance you'd have forgotten that if you'd been there." Wonwoo considers Seungcheol's words for a moment then asks, "So did I have powers? Yesterday?"

"Of course." His hyung replies without hesitation. "Everyone has an ability that makes them unique."

Wonwoo has to admit that he's a bit jealous of some of the abilities his band mates have exhibited today. Reading minds, teleporting, and turning back time all seem pretty cool. Getting cold easily, something he's dealt with his whole life anyway, if to a lesser extent than what Mingyu is dealing with, sounds like a crappy ability. And being a rat sounds even worse. "So what was mine?"

"It was…you could…." Seungcheol blinks his incredibly long eyelashes at him while he thinks, and apparently comes up completely blank. "I…can't remember."

"But you remember me being here yesterday, right?"

"Well, yeah. Of course you were here. You're part of Seventeen, just like the rest of us."

"And if we're all part of Seventeen, how exactly does Seungkwan perform, if he's a rat?"

"Well, he… I can't remember that either. Wait… now that I've thought about it, both he and Seokmin can change into human form for a few hours each day.”

Wonwoo is starting to think that perhaps he’s just dreaming. That would be the best case scenario. He's been toying with the idea that he has somehow been transported to an alternate reality, but the fact that Seungcheol can't remember important details about life here makes that seem less likely. 

"I agree," the elder replies to his thoughts with enthusiasm. "I think either of those scenarios would be preferable to hearing everything that happens within a one mile radius, including thoughts when they're loud enough. I have a perpetual headache from the constant noise. Sleeping is actually the worst part of my day, because I can't block it out while I'm unconscious."

Wonwoo scratches reading minds off the list of abilities that he was envious of. In actuality, that one sounds pretty awful. "So, if I'm just dreaming, this should wake me up, right?" He proceeds to pinch himself on the underside of his arm. Very hard. "Yah!!!!"

As soon as Seungcheol realizes what he's about to do, he tries to stop him, "Hajima! Everyone says that doesn't work. You can't wake yourself from a dream. I've heard that if someone else pulls your ears until you can't stand the pain anymore, it will wake you up though."

"Ok, try it." They both stand, and the elder grabs Wonwoo's ears and tugs hard. He lifts up onto his toes to try to lessen the pain, but still doesn't awaken. Probably not a dream then. 

Just then, Shua appears in front of Wonwoo. Although he's reconciled his brain to the fact that his bandmates have abilities, having someone appear before your eyes is still startling. "Feeling better, Wonwoo? What in the world are you doing to him, hyung?"

"I, uh…yeah, I'm…" Shua disappears as quickly as he'd appeared, right before Wonwoo finishes with, "alright." 

Wonwoo looks to Seungcheol , knowing that his question will be coming through loud and clear. "He can only teleport somewhere for ten seconds. May as well scratch that ability off your list of things to be jealous about as well, huh?"

"God, yeah! That one pretty much sucks too. I think we can also scratch dreaming off the list of what's happening to me. Besides, even if I am dreaming, I'll just wake up eventually and this will be over. If this is an alternate reality, I'm guessing we'll have to do something to make it end… and we REALLY have to figure out how to get things back to normal!" 

They sit back down and begin brainstorming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Powers revealed in this chapter are as follows  
> \- Seungcheol - insanely good hearing and telepathy  
> \- Jeonghan - three arms / hands  
> \- Joshua - teleport somewhere for 10 seconds  
> \- Jun - is a 5 year old  
> \- Jihoon - can turn time back by 3 seconds  
> \- Minghao - immunity to cold  
> \- Mingyu - immunity to heat  
> \- Seungkwan - is a rat, except for a few hours per day 
> 
> \- Being a five year old wasn't actually one of the debate night options, (being a ten year old was) but was inspired by the time a fan asked Seungkwan and Vernon whether they'd rather have five Junhui’s or a 5 year old Junhui. Here's a story with the photos: https://www.koreaboo.com/stories/seventeen-seungkwan-vernon-shook-choice-5-juns-five-year-old-jun/


	2. Hoshi

"Horanghae!" Hoshi curls his fingers into claws beside his face and smiles his biggest, toothiest smile into the camera before ending the V-Live. 

He loves doing V-Lives! He loves the connections he builds with Carats through his daily conversations. He knows that he has more fans than the other members, and he also knows that he owes it all to his fabulous ability. Amazing eyesight, or tiger vision as he likes to call it, is absolutely the best! At concerts, he can make eye contact with every fan in the audience, even those in the back seats, and can read every sign they hold up, regardless of how small they write the words to get a long message to fit. And almost as important, he can read every single comment written on a V-Live, no matter how fast they scroll, so he can truly connect with Carats. 

Sure, there are typically about a million comments that just say "Saranghae", "Horanghae" (Damn, he really loves those the most!), or "You're so handsome / adorable / beautiful / etc". And another thousand that say something along the lines of "Marry me" or "Be my boyfriend." But by ignoring those, or just giving a laughing answer to them once or twice, he can really chat with the Carats who want to talk about something real. 

Today's conversation was all about movies and dramas to watch and he'd taken notes about ones that were most recommended and added his recommendations for Carats. He'd been excited to see how many fans were watching the new drama that Seungkwannie recorded an OST for, and can't wait to tell his dongsaeng the good news. 

He stretches, crawls out of his tiger striped sheets, puts his black satin pajamas into the basket to be washed, and gets dressed for the day. As he opens his bedroom door, he raises his voice to be heard in the kitchen, "Eomma, don't worry about making breakfast, I need to get back to the dorms to get ready for practice. But can I have a yogurt drink?" 

When he finishes putting on shoes, his eomma deposits a small plastic bottle into his hand and a kiss onto his cheek. "See you next week. Love you!"

He hugs his mom. "Love you too!" 

Tiger vision is awesome for avoiding hazards on the road too, since he can see problems from a mile away...literally. And today, he's especially glad for it, because he can see a definite hazard up ahead: several blossoming sakura trees growing from the roof of a small sedan tell him that Kim Taehyung is on the road today. As much as he loves Taehyung hyung, and enjoys seeing him at concerts and awards shows, driving is nearly impossible when he is on the road. Since every surface the elder touches blooms with an abundance of gorgeous flowers and flowering trees, his car rains an almost constant shower of petals across the road. 

Honestly, Hoshi is surprised that Big Hit even allows the idol to drive himself, since his ability causes such blinding conditions for everyone else on the road. Luckily, he is able to refrain from touching so much of the car - or plane - if he's only a passenger, and the blooms are therefore more focused on the inside of the vehicle, otherwise he'd be hard pressed to travel anywhere. I-Army would be devastated if that were the case. 

Hoshi cuts onto a side street to avoid the traveling flower festival ahead and is soon parking. On the short walk from his car to the apartment, he sees Lee Felix giving away free food to the morning commuters and stops to say hello. 

"Morning Lixie!"

"Heya Soonyoung hyung. Ya' hungry?" Felix punctuates his question by gesturing to the pile of paper plates, bags of hot dog buns, and an assortment of condiments. 

"Always!" Hoshi can't remember a time in his life that he'd turned down food. 

A speck of movement flying in the streets several feet above everyone's heads catches his peripheral vision, distracting him from Felix momentarily, and he whistles to get his dongsaeng's attention. He smiles, seeing that Seokmin has heard him, as the pigeon wheels around and begins a gentle glide toward Hoshi and Felix. Before he reaches them, Hoshi feels the familiar tug of Seungkwan climbing up his pants leg, then his shirt, to sit on his shoulder. 

"We'll take three." Hoshi doesn't bother with plates for the other two, but pulls out three buns and begins adding mustard and mayo to his. 

"Three sausages for BooSeokSoon, coming up." Felix holds his left hand above Hoshi's plate and calls out, "My sausage!" A sausage drops from his palm onto one of the buns. After doing this three times, Felix asks, "Anyone want cheese?"

By this time, Seokmin has alighted on Hoshi's other shoulder, and he calls out, "Coo coo!"

Felix chuckles, "Ok, no problem mate." He holds his right hand out, and calls, "My cheese!" and again, the food drops from his palm into the bun. 

"Gah, you have my dream ability, Felix! A never ending supply of sausage and cheese!" Hoshi loves having tiger vision, but he loves food even more! Seungkwan squeaks his agreement as Seokmin adds another emphatic "Coo!"

Felix laughs, "Naw, mate, there are lots of abilities better than mine for an idol! Like your tiger vision, Channie hyung's visceral hugs really add to the popularity of our bands. I wish I had something more like one of yours."

Hoshi has experienced a few of Bang Chan's virtual hugs. If you can see him hugging, you can feel it deep inside, as if he's touching your soul with his comfort. "I think we can all agree that Chan won the lottery with his!" He lifts the plate and moves out of the way of Felix's next customer. "Thanks again!"

Trying to feed all three mouths with his only free hand seems too difficult, so he shoves his own sausage into his mouth whole, chewing it just enough to let it fill both cheeks as well as his entire mouth, then takes a seat on a nearby bench. While he chews, he alternates holding the sausages up to the others for a bite at a time, and when Seokmin's tiny pigeon tummy is full, he finishes the other half for him. Seungkwan's rat tummy has no such problems. 

As he stands, he proudly shouts "They call us BooSeokSoon!" Why he's proud of eating sausages is anyone's guess, but that's just how he always feels when the three of them are together. He heads for their apartment building, happy to have his two favorite dongsaengs with him. 

Seungkwan suddenly shifts his weight, digging into Hoshi's shoulder to hold on with his back claws and scooting forward to crawl slightly down Hoshi's chest until his front paws are able to clasp the thick braided hemp around Hoshi's neck. Seokmin notices the movement and flutters in the air to get a better look. "Cccoooo?" Just as Seungkwan manages to get a paw on the intricate tiger talisman at the end of the necklace, he loses his grip and starts to fall off his Hoshi-perch.

Growling deep in his throat, Hoshi's well-honed reflexes kick in, and he lunges down onto one knee to catch Seungkwan in both hands before he hits the sidewalk. "Jesus, Kwanna! Be careful! I thought rats were supposed to be amazingly agile! Leave it to you to be the one clumsy rat in the world." He sets the younger back onto his shoulder, carefully holding his hand there until he's certain that Seungkwan is balanced, and once he drops his hand, Seokmin resumes his own position on the other side. 

The pigeon repeats the question almost immediately, pecking lightly at the hemp braid to remind Hoshi what he's asking. 

"Oh, yeah. Isn't it awesome? I got it from this ancient-looking crazy lady last night on the way to my car when I was headed to my parents' house. She came up to me, poking me in the chest while she kept trying to tell me something, but she was speaking in Mandarin. I didn't catch most of it. Something about not poking a sleeping tiger on its nose, and needing the help of your brothers to defeat a tiger. It was crazy weird." He holds up the talisman so all three of them can see the designs etched into the tiger face. "She slipped this over my head and patted it against my chest, nodding like she was very pleased with herself, then she turned around and walked away, still babbling about tigers in Chinese. I'm glad I made Junhui and Hao teach me the word for tiger, or I might not have understood anything she was trying to tell me."

He opens the door, heading into the apartment building and asks, very rhetorically, "Who'd want to defeat a tiger anyway?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Powers revealed so far are as follows  
> \- Seungcheol - insanely good hearing and telepathy  
> \- Jeonghan - three arms / hands  
> \- Joshua - teleport somewhere for 10 seconds  
> \- Jun - is a 5 year old  
> \- **Hoshi - insanely good eyesight**  
>  \- Jihoon - can turn time back by 3 seconds  
> \- Minghao - immunity to cold  
> \- Mingyu - immunity to heat  
> \- **Seokmin - is a pigeon, except for a few hours per day**  
>  \- Seungkwan - is a rat, except for a few hours per day
> 
> Guest appearance by Kim Tae hyung (V) of BTS inspired by the Stay Gold video 
> 
> Guest appearance by Lee Felix of Stray Kids inspired by this: https://youtu.be/6t-AbexVg40
> 
> Guest mention of Bang Chan of Stray Kids inspired by this (and many many more moments like it): https://youtu.be/XoMQktoLP7U


	3. Hansol

"Good morning. You've reached _Because It’s Your Home Pest Control_. How may I help you?" Hansol thought, not for the first time, that it was beyond past time for them to hire more people to answer the phones for their pest control service. But for now, he continued to answer the phones each morning because the company made Seungkwan feel useful. And a happy Seungkwan was one of his favorite things in the world.

"Yes, ma'am. A crew of rats will arrive at your house once per week, patrol the house and take care of any bug problems. You pay a flat rate based on the square footage of your property." Simple calls like this one weren't so bad. Sometimes people called to complain that they hated having rats in their house. He wanted to point out that they should have thought of that before hiring them, since it's very obvious in all of their advertising that rats will be taking care of your pest infestations. But, of course, he has to be polite, even to the complainers. "No ma'am, President Seungkwan doesn't do the work personally. He manages the crews, tells them where to go, that sort of thing.” He listens intently and feels a smile stretching his face. “Ahhh, you're a Carat. We really appreciate your support! I'm sure Seungkwan will arrange to visit personally once he hears that.” 

Seungkwan loves when his two businesses collide. When Carats hire his pest control service, he delights in making their day with a personal visit. “Great! I'll sign you up for the service and get you onto the calendar starting this week. Is there a particular day that works best for you?” 

After a few more calls, his morning of answering phones is finished, and he heads out of his bedroom toward the apartment’s living room. As he walks down the hallway, scratching his fingernails across his scalp and ruffling his hair, he hears Jihoon yelp, “Oh my God, you are such a cheater!! I can't believe you did that! I wouldn't have had to bungee jump if it weren't for you cheating!” Jeonghan’s unbridled laughter echoes through the apartment.

Hansol walks into the room and sees Jeonghan, still laughing, sitting on the couch between Jihoon and Joshua as they all watch the latest episode of GoSe. Wonwoo is perched on the arm of the sofa, on the far side of Jihoon, and glances around at Hansol just as Jihoon smacks Jeonghan on the back of the head.

“What the hell, Jihoon?” As Jeonghan finishes yelling, Jihoon laughs… a semi evil, full belly laugh… and then presses his pointer fingers to his temples to activate his ability.

...

Hansol walks into the room and sees Jeonghan, still laughing, sitting on the couch between Jihoon and Joshua as they all watch the latest episode of GoSe. Wonwoo is perched on the arm of the sofa, on the far side of Jihoon, watching Jihoon so intently that he doesn't even notice Hansol. Suddenly, Jihoon smacks Jeonghan on the back of the head.

“What the hell, Jihoon?” As Jeonghan finishes yelling, Jihoon laughs… a semi evil, full belly laugh… and then presses his pointer fingers to his temples to activate his ability.

...

Hansol walks into the room and sees Jeonghan, still laughing, sitting on the couch between Jihoon and Joshua as they all watch the latest episode of GoSe. Wonwoo is perched on the arm of the sofa, on the far side of Jihoon, mouth hanging slightly open as if in shock. Just as Jihoon smacks Jeonghan in the back of the head, Wonwoo says, “Oh my God, Jihoon, you're a total menace!” 

“What the hell, Jihoon?” As Jeonghan finishes yelling, Jihoon laughs… a semi evil, full belly laugh… and then presses his pointer fingers to his temples to activate his ability.

...

Hansol walks into the room and sees Jeonghan, still laughing, sitting on the couch between Jihoon and Joshua as they all watch the latest episode of GoSe. Wonwoo is perched on the arm of the sofa, on the far side of Jihoon, laughing, shaking his head as if in disbelief. Jihoon reaches up and smacks Wonwoo on the back of the head.

Wonwoo yelps, wrapping his arms around his head to protect from another hit. “OK, enough! Oh my God. Do you do this all the time?” 

Jihoon looks at Wonwoo, obviously confused, and then presses his pointer fingers to his temples to activate his ability.

...

Hansol walks into the room and sees Jeonghan, still laughing, sitting on the couch between Jihoon and Joshua as they all watch the latest episode of GoSe. Wonwoo is perched on the arm of the sofa, arms raised in a defensive position around his head, glaring at Jihoon. 

Jihoon’s focus is completely attuned to Wonwoo. “You...remember?” he asks, just as Wonwoo says, “Don't hit me again, Jihoon. I swear I'll hit you back!” Hansol hasn't ever seen anyone hit Jihoon back. He's very intimidating.

Jeonghan has one arm wrapped around Joshua, one hand on Joshua’s thigh, his laughter tapering off as his focus is pulled from the Going Seventeen episode to the argument beside him. He points the remote held in his third hand at the TV to pause the episode. “Oh, is my darling dongsaeng Jihoonie using his abilities for nefarious purposes again right after harassing me for cheating?”

Wonwoo leans to see around Jihoon and asks “Does he do this often?” at the same time Jihoon replies “Unlike your cheating, it's a victimless crime, since I'm the only one who knows it ever happened.” Then Jihoon turns his attention back to Wonwoo. “Or...at least, I used to be the only one.”

Jeonghan points out, “Cheolie knows. It upsets him when he hears your violent thoughts, doesn't it Shua?” Joshua nods his agreement.

Hansol needs to chat with Wonwoo but decides it would be wise to steer clear of this conversation. He keeps walking right through the living room and into the small kitchen.

“Morning Channie. Wassup?” The maknae is kneeling on the kitchen counter, leaning over the sink to hold his hand out the open window. He jumps slightly at the sound of Hansol’s voice.

“Hmmm? Oh. Morning. I'm looking for Seokmin hyung. He promised to teach me some more pigeon dance today.”

“You know he doesn't ever fly higher than ten or twelve feet above the ground. Look down towards the street.” Hansol roots around in the fridge until he finds the leftover pizza. He pulls out a couple of pieces and eats them cold. “Isn't it your morning with Junnie?” 

“Minghao offered to take him out for naengmyeon.”

“Oh. But dancing is one of the best ways to get Jun's energy out so he doesn't rampage through the apartments all day and night. Why aren't you guys taking him with you?”

“Yeah, but Seokmin and I are going to film a Danceology today and didn't want to have Jun in the studio going crazy.”

“Ahh” Hansol nods in understanding, wincing slightly at the memory of the last time Jun was in the studio while they tried to film. The sets didn't make it out of that encounter unscathed.

Chan, arm still hanging out the window, hand now twisted to point palm down towards the ground, suddenly shouts excitedly, “Oh! There he is! Seokmin is with Hoshi and Seungkwan, heading this way. Maybe Hoshi will come and dance with us and make it a trio Danceology instead of a duo.”

“Oh good. That means Kwanna is done working for the day. We're planning to work on lyrics with Jihoon in a little while.” He shoves the last bite of his pizza into his mouth even though it is actually a bit too much for one bite. After chewing it to a manageable size to swallow he tells the maknae, “I need to talk to Wonwoo before that. Hope the Danceology goes well.”

“Thanks hyung!”

Hansol wanders back through the empty living room, checks the downstairs common rooms, and finally finds Wonwoo on the computer in his own bedroom. The elder looks up as he enters and smiles at him in acknowledgement.

“Hey babe.” Wonwoo’s eyes widen slightly behind his glasses at the term of endearment in what Hansol would describe as surprise if that made any sense. “Whatcha doing?”

“Researching.” He turns back to the computer, so Hansol steps behind him and begins massaging his shoulders, lightly working out the kinks in his muscles caused by stress and over use. Wonwoo seems extremely tense, even moreso than usual.

He glances at the computer screen over the other's shoulder and reads the search terms. “Alternate realities? That's an interesting thing to be researching. Planning to write a novel?” He chuckles at the thought that Wonwoo might ever find the time to write a novel with their packed schedules but Wonwoo doesn't laugh. He takes off his glasses, sets them on his desk, and uses one hand to scrub his face and then rub at his temples. 

Hansol pulls the chair from Seungcheol’s desk so he can sit knee to knee with Wonwoo, ducks his head down to look up under the other man's arm to lock their eyes together, and asks, “Hey. Everything alright? What's going on? You know you can talk to me right? You can tell me anything.” 

Wonwoo takes a deep breath, sighs heavily, but doesn't start taking right away, so Hansol continues in his soothing voice. “I came to find you because Seungkwan wanted me to ask...well, we both wanted to ask...did we do something to upset you?”

“Upset me? What? No. I just...OK...you're not going to believe me, since you don't have Cheolie’s ability to hear my thoughts, but…” Another deep breath. “I think I'm from an alternate universe.” He launches into a strange tale about arguments and life without their abilities and wanting to get back there. Hansol leans back in his chair, trying to process it all, but then realizes that it seems like he is putting distance between himself and Wonwoo, when his intent in seeking him out was the exact opposite. He scoots closer on his chair, slotting their knees together, and putting his hands on Wonwoo’s thighs and squeezing slightly.

“Hyung, you know I'll always do whatever you need me to do. I don't remember these arguments or the other life that you're describing, but if you want to get back there, I'll do what I can to help.” He slides one hand up to grasp Wonwoo’s and laces their fingers together. Wonwoo stares down at their hands, obviously deep in thought.

“Do you remember what my ability was?” He looks into Hansol’s eyes while awaiting the answer, but try as he might, Hansol can't come up with an answer, so he just shakes his head. “What's yours then?”

“I can understand Seungkwan.” Hansol winks and gives him his cutest smile.

“Oh my God. Really?” Wonwoo's nose scrunches up as he laughs. “That really is the perfect ability for you. You two have always been so close. It would be terrible if you couldn't understand him, since he's a...well, a rat...but the universe chose a very specific ability for you, didn't it? I mean, what if you'd never ended up meeting him?”

“No, no, sorry. That's just our in joke...you and I… but I guess you don't remember… we always laugh that that's my ability. But… umm… I just actually… can understand… things. Situations. Creatures. I can talk to animals, I can figure out complex problems. That sort of thing.” He waves one hand around as if to encompass all the vague things that he can understand.

“Oh. No wonder Seungcheol told me to talk to you about this.”

“Yeah. I can help get you back...if...well, if it's possible. And if you want to go back. Sounds like there are a lot of problems to return to there.”

“That's true… but… I think I need to go back. I mean, somehow, that just seems right. I guess. Tell me, what's the best ability that you know of?”

“Oh ummm. I guess it depends on your definition of best. Jungkook, the lucky bastard, never fails at anything twice. Or… The members of TXT come to mind. When the five of them combine their powers, they literally bring books to life. More specifically, they can manifest an illusion of a fictional setting that is so vast and so realistic that it encompasses an entire stadium during their performances. So if popularity as an idol group is your goal, they really have a great combination of powers.” 

Hansol stands up and paces as he thinks about other abilities that he should list. “Or when Kim Namjoon talks, he weaves a glowing golden mesh with his words that makes people happy. He actually heals their souls with his words. Again, another great ability for an idol or public figure. Of course, there are people who can heal injuries and wounds. God, I can't imagine a world without them. How do people heal in your world?”

“Umm… doctors? And hospitals?” Wonwoo sounds confused by his own answer, or maybe by the question, but Hansol doesn't push. He seems so close to breaking down already. He's always been a strange combination of one of the weakest and strongest members of Seventeen. He feels frail and breakable - always getting cold almost as easily as Mingyu and often being so exhausted after performances that he needs piggy back rides. But at the same time, he has always been one of the strongest emotionally - able to stay calm, cool, and collected in any situation to help mediate along with Hansol. Right now, that emotional strength seems almost completely depleted.

“Come here.” Hansol takes his hands and tugs him up off the chair into a hug. After a moment's resistance, he relaxes into the younger’s arms with a sigh. 

He nuzzles his face down into Hansol’s shoulder, his words muffled into the soft hoodie. “I don't know what I'm doing, Hansollie. I have no idea how to get back to the reality I know, or even whether I should be trying to get back there. Other than Seungcheol, it seems like our members are pretty happy with their abilities here. I mean. Is Seungkwan happy? I don't think I'd be happy being a rat. Or in your case, dating a rat.”

“In my case? Dating a rat?” He pulls back to see Wonwoo’s expression, arms still wrapped around the older man.

“Well, yeah, aren't you dating Seungkwan here? I'm pretty sure that you two were dating in my universe. Though, I guess I could be wrong. No one but you two knows for sure. But something happened on his birthday. I dunno. Maybe you two broke up. He's been extremely unhappy ever since, fighting constantly with everyone for months, and that led to the argument last night.”

Hansol pulls out of the hug, but drags one hand down Wonwoo’s arm as he pulls away and grips his hand, unwilling to say what he's about to say without some remaining touch between them. “Umm. WE are dating Seungkwan… both you and me... and… uh… well, he and I had been together since before debut, but he asked me, on his birthday this year, what I would think about bringing you into our relationship. You... you don't remember any of this, do you? Oh, Damn… I guess none of this happened in your world.” 

Wonwoo just shakes his head, looking a bit stunned by the revelation. Hansol sits on Wonwoo’s bed, tugging the other's hand gently as if to pull him with him, but Wonwoo doesn't move. 

It hurts. To have one of your boyfriends refuse to hold you, to have him forget that you had even been dating in the first place. But Hansol also can understand the opposite perspective. Wonwoo doesn't remember any of this, and in his world might not even have said yes if they'd propositioned him. Who knows how different their feelings could all be. And even if he would be interested in them, to have a months old relationship suddenly sprung on him has to be awkward at best.

Hansol bends over his knees, scrubbing his face with his hands and then lies back onto the bed with his legs dangling off the side. “OK. Maybe that's what your Hansol and Seungkwan argued about. If we assume that there are parallels between our worlds, nothing else happened on his birthday that we could have argued about. And to perpetuate an argument for months...even Seungkwan wouldn't do that over something small and petty. I must have gotten angry at the suggestion. Or rather, other Hansol must have.” He lifts up onto his elbows. “I didn't get angry at the suggestion, by the way. I want you to know that even though it was Kwanna’s idea, I was completely on board immediately. We've both always loved you. It just seemed completely natural and right when he suggested it. I don't know why your Hansol might have rejected the idea.” He flops back onto the bed, flinging one arm over his face. “I really want to hug you right now. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but I'm not used to this distance between us.”

Wonwoo tentatively sits on the bed next to him, thighs touching, but resolutely doesn't lie down to give a full body hug. Undeterred, Hansol sits up and drapes himself over his back, wrapping his arms loosely around his neck in a friendly hug that hopefully won't cross the line to make the other uncomfortable. “I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that Kwanna's birthday is where the timelines split between your reality and ours. I mean, sure, in your universe, people don't have abilities. But you don't seem surprised by other things here...like our room assignments or...ahhhhhhh! Now I understand why you slept in your own bed last night instead of with us in my room. Seungkwan will be happy to hear that you weren't angry with us about something. He was worried all night.”

Wonwoo has gone completely still. Hansol is afraid that he might have pushed him too far, emotionally, considering that he'd just been thinking how close to breaking he seemed. He's just been thrust into a world with crazy abilities and a feeling that he's responsible for solving everyone's problems, and here Hansol has just dumped more into his lap with these revelations. “I'm sorry, Wonu. I know this must be hard. I mean. You might not even be interested in us, or… Shit.” He starts to pull his arms from around the other's neck. “Are you dating someone else?”

But before he can pull away, Wonwoo grabs his hands, holds him there, draped over his back. “Its just… a lot… to take in. You know? But yeah. I never really thought I had a chance. But I'm definitely interested.”

Hansol exhales a breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding, more relieved than he'd ever be able to articulate, but he tilts his head to give Wonwoo a chaste kiss on the cheek. It's nothing that all of the members haven't done a million times to every other one of them, but being able to do it right now, in the middle of this discussion feels like a huge win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Powers revealed so far are as follows  
> \- Seungcheol - insanely good hearing and telepathy  
> \- Jeonghan - three arms / hands  
> \- Joshua - teleport somewhere for 10 seconds  
> \- Jun - is a 5 year old  
> \- Hoshi - insanely good eyesight  
> \- Jihoon - can turn time back by 3 seconds  
> \- Minghao - immunity to cold  
> \- Mingyu - immunity to heat  
> \- Seokmin - is a pigeon, except for a few hours per day  
> \- Seungkwan - is a rat, except for a few hours per day  
> \- **Hansol - understands things, including animal speech and difficult puzzles or situations  
> **  
>  \- Chan - has a third eye 
> 
> Guest mention of Jeon Jungkook inspired by a comment one of the other members made when Kookie learned to ride a whiteboard on his second try. (I can't find the video again right now) 
> 
> Guest mention of TXT based on every beautifully whimsical MV they've ever made (all of them).
> 
> Guest mention of Kim Namjoon based on the Stay Gold video plus his speeches to the United Nation plus... just everything about him, because he's wonderful.


	4. Wonwoo

Wonwoo really wants to just lean in and return Hansol’s sweet kiss with something much less chaste right now. It's something that he's wished he could do for years, but never had the right. And now, he's sitting next to a Hansol who knows what it feels like to kiss him, but he still doesn't know. It wouldn't even be a big deal to Hansol if he did it. But it would be to him. For him, it would be their first kiss, and he wants it to be special for himself, even if it doesn't need to be for the younger man.

And besides, now really isn't the time. He needs to figure out how to get things back to normal.

There's a part of him that wonders why he should even try to get back to the real world...or the other world. Maybe they really are both real worlds. Maybe this alternate universe just modified his band mates’ minds to fit him in when he arrived, and there wasn't even a Wonwoo here before this morning. Or...something like that. But, here, he's in a relationship with both of his crushes. 

And to call them crushes seems so inadequate. When you love people deeply already, as friends, or rather, as the so-much-more-than-friends status that living and working together for as long as they have grants you, and then you add romantic feelings into the mix, it becomes worlds more serious than a simple crush. And Wonwoo has had it bad… for both of them… for years now. It would be so easy to just fall into the situation that this world is offering, to stay here and experience what he's daydreamed about.

But every time he lets his mind wander down that path, it feels very wrong. And not just because Seungkwan is a rat and Seokmin is a pigeon, though that seems reason enough to want to get back to the real world. Or his world. Or whatever. 

He steels his resolve. He has to solve this and get back. He knows it deep in his bones.

He gently untwines Hansol's hands from his neck so he can turn to face him on the bed. “Back to the issue at hand... my only real clue was last night's argument. I woke up thinking I needed to help everyone patch things up and to stop Seungkwan from leaving, so when I realized that everyone had weird powers, I immediately assumed that the key to getting back to normal would be making Seungkwan happy. But he's happy here. Everyone is getting along just fine. I have no idea what to do now. Do you have any thoughts?”

Hansol opens his mouth slightly as if he's about to speak, then goes still, staring at him for long enough that Wonwoo starts to think he might know what it feels like to be Seungkwan - the usual recipient of this intense gaze. Finally, after an agonizingly long silence, he answers, “No… I think your idea is right. Even though I had no memory of the argument or any difficulties over the past several months, now that you've mentioned it, I'm starting to have a hazy recollection. As if a dream that I'd forgotten until someone says a word that triggers the memory.”

“Seungcheol said something similar, but we both wondered if it was because he was hearing my memories of it.”

“Yeah, that could have been possible with him. But not for me. I think we should proceed with the assumption that you need to resolve all of the conflicts that the members had with each other in your world. And tell everyone one by one what's going on to see if they remember. If so, maybe they'll give you ideas of other problems that were going on.” He pauses again, biting his lips as he thinks about it some more. “I guess we should also keep our eyes open for anything that seems strange or out of place.”

“Everything seems strange and out of place here to me! Seungkwan is a rat for God's sake!”

“OK, more out of place.” He shrugs, pressing his lips together as he nods a concession to Wonwoo's point. “Then maybe _I_ need to look for things that seem strange to me, since I think our abilities are completely normal.”

“Yeah. OK. That sounds like as good a plan as any. Better than I could have come up with on my own, anyway. Thanks.” He catches himself staring at Hansol's chapped lips that are spreading into a too wide smile, forces himself to stand up instead of leaning in to taste. “Yeah. We should… go…. do that.” He knows he sounds flustered. He is flustered. But if he's going to stay focused on the task, he also knows that he needs to get out of this room. Needs to not be alone with Hansol and his thoughts. He tugs the younger man up from the bed, and pulls him from the bedroom.

The living room is chaos, as it often is, with so many of them in just two small apartments. Jeonghan is shouting “CooCoo, boomerang!” repeatedly, flinging his arm out for Seokmin to fly circles around the room. Wonwoo eyes the ceiling fan in the center of the room with trepidation. Luckily, it is currently turned off, but it worries him. Hoshi is jumping on the couch, up into the air to bite at Seokmin, pretending to try to catch him in his mouth each time he passes overhead. And Chan is holding his hand up in the air, a third eye blinking in the center of his palm as he spins slowly around the room asking, “Has anyone seen my cell phone? I just saw it a few minutes ago.” 

Seungkwan scampers across the room, deftly avoiding the others and scrambles swiftly up Hansol's body to perch on his shoulder. It's the first time Wonwoo has gotten a good look at the younger man… err… rat… since awakening to this strange alternate world. He's amazed at how much this rat looks like… well, like Seungkwan. His fur is a lovely rose-gold color - it must be dyed, right? There's too much pink in there to be a natural color - that Wonwoo thinks might exactly match his favorite hair color Seungkwan has ever had, and looks so soft and silky, he really wants to reach out and run his fingers through it. He has a thin black ribbon tied around his neck into a small floppy bow, a matching smaller bow near the tip of his tail, and a small pink and black plaid beret on his head. Once he's perched on Hansol, he rests his weight on his back paws and reaches up to hold Hansol’s ear lobe in his front paws while he chitters quietly into his ear.

Hansol answers back just as quietly, “No, Kwanna. It's OK. He wasn't mad.” A pause while Seungkwan chatters a bit more, then. “Yeah, we'll tell you later.” He looks over at Wonwoo, who is somewhat embarrassed to be caught eavesdropping so obviously, but hey, they are talking about him. And seem to be including him. So it's OK to listen in, right?

He gives in to the temptation. “Can I… is it OK if I… pet him?”

Seungkwan launches into what is apparently an outraged volley of rat cussing, and Hansol replies, “No, really. It's a long story. Let's head over to the studio, and we'll tell you what's going on after we talk to Jihoon. He was expecting us ten minutes ago. In the meantime.” He plucks the rat from his shoulder and holds him in front of Wonwoo until he lifts both hands up to take Seungkwan from the younger man. “Here.”

Wonwoo cradles his friend - boyfriend? - in both hands for a moment, as if he's fragile and might break if he isn't careful, but when Seungkwan scoots into the palm of one hand and wraps his little paws around Wonwoo's wrist while letting his tail curl around his pinky, Wonwoo very tentatively strokes his fingers through Seungkwan’s silky smooth fur. “Oh wow, he's as soft as he looks.” 

Seungkwan rolls his eyes and huffs, squeaking another annoyed sentence at Hansol, who laughs and replies, “Yes. I promise. It's a good story and worth the wait.” 

Hansol can understand Seungkwan’s words, but he's just as expressive as a rat as he is as a human, and Wonwoo feels just as attuned to him as ever, so he has understood the gist of everything the little guy has said so far. He lets his fingers dig a bit deeper into the massage, and Seungkwan tilts his head into it, pushing into his fingernails to indicate that he'd like to be scratched. Wonwoo obliges, completely enamored by the fact that he's holding a rat in his hand… who is Seungkwan. Until this very moment, although he had accepted the fact logically, he hadn't actually absorbed that it was true.

He catches the tail end of Hansol’s conversation with the rest of the members in the room. “...see you at the studio later...” and realizes that he'd been completely focused on petting Seungkwan to the exclusion of everyone and everything else in the room. He waves at them and follows the younger man, still cradling the rodent as if he might fall at any moment. 

The thought of Seungkwan falling triggers a memory of his morning.“Oh my God! You’re the one... I think you died earlier, Kwanna!” The epiphany hits him like a physical blow.

“What?” Hansol huffs a laugh. “People don't die and come back to life here, Wonu. It's not that different from your reality… Wait, does that happen in your world?” 

“No, really. Jun and Chan were running in the hallway and ran into Jihoon, and I saw a furry creature in Jun's hands...that they all three landed on top of. And then Jihoon did that thing where he turns back time and they were all in the hallway running again, but Jihoon sidestepped to avoid them.” He pulls Seungkwan up to his chest and hugs him close. 

Seungkwan squeaks something in outrage and Hansol glances down at him, “Yes, I really said ‘your reality’. I promise. Just a couple more minutes and we'll tell you everything.”  
When he continues chittering, Hansol replies with a shushing sound, not rude or dismissive, but not wanting to talk over Wonwoo.

For his part, Wonwoo can barely focus on their interactions as he continues his miniature freak out. “Oh God. You could have died! That settles it, Hansol, we have to figure this out as soon as possible, to get Kwanna back to normal so he isn't so fragile!”

Seungkwan squeals his outrage at _Wonwoo_ this time, then administers an admonishing bite to the fleshy part at the base of his thumb. It's a perfectly calculated bite, intended to get the point across without actually breaking the skin. “Owww!” As he jerks his hand up and away from the sharp teeth, Seungkwan scrambles out of his arms and up onto his shoulder, his little claws scraping pinpricks of almost pain through his shirt, and settles with his tail wrapped loosely around the elder’s neck, chittering angrily the whole time.

Hansol laughs. “Seungkwan says he's tougher than you are, and he can't wait to hear this story of yours to explain why you're acting like a complete idiot. He's saying ‘pabo’ so many times I'm wondering if he might eventually get his mouth to form the actual word in Korean.”

When they leave the building, Wonwoo has to force himself not to gape like a country yokel. The world is so very different from anything he's ever seen. It is instantly apparent that almost everyone walking past him has an ability of some sort. The ones whose abilities aren't apparent probably have something more like Hansol’s or Seungcheol’s. One person has a flame flickering at the top of his tall white hat. Another is shooting rainbows from the palms of his hand, causing little rain showers to water the plants lining the streets. A third has a string holding her head to her body, letting it float and trail behind her like a helium balloon as she walks. 

A lemur in a three piece suit carrying a briefcase, with his black and white ringed tail swishing proudly behind him as he walks makes Wonwoo wonder why Hoshi didn't turn into a tiger in this world. If it were only a dream, Hoshi would be a tiger, he's certain. If it were only a dream, what part of his brain would have thought to turn his band mates into a rat or a pigeon? No. He's convinced this isn't a dream. And he's ready to get back home. Even before he notices the giant hawk circling above them that he'd swear is eyeing Seungkwan as if he's a tasty morsel. He subconsciously picks up the pace, and is pleased to see Hansol match his longer stride without question. He'd probably end up feeling foolish again if they made him admit what had spooked him.

Even with all of the weirdness around them, they make it to the Pledis building without incident - and without any conversation. Hansol had suggested that they wait until after seeing Jihoon to tell Seungkwan everything that was going on, but since that was the only thing on Wonwoo's mind, he couldn't think of anything else to say while they walked. Hansol was also silent by nature, and the lack of conversation in Seungkwan’s presence felt completely alien and awkward. But of course, he couldn't fill the silence for anyone except Hansol.

Looking back on the situation later, he'd theorize that it was this very silence that allowed them to witness the scene in Jihoon’s studio. The door hadn't been pulled shut all of the way, so Wonwoo didn't bother knocking. That was the standing rule. If the door was shut, Jihoon was busy, and you could knock at your own risk. 

People very rarely knocked.

Before he steps into the room, though, he hears Jihoon’s clear voice announce in a business-like tone, “Mingyu, remember that time you said ‘I like guys!’ accidentally? Well, I know you were embarrassed, but it made me really happy because I like you. No… no no no… that didn't come out right.”

Wonwoo pulls back, grabbing Hansol and smacking a hand over his mouth before he can make a noise. Jihoon will absolutely kill them if he knows they witnessed this. But he refuses to interrupt and can't help wanting to know what’s going to happen. He leans his head around the door frame to see into the room just in time to see Jihoon raise his fingers to his temples and rewind time.

\---

Wonwoo grabs Hansol, putting a finger over his mouth to tell him to stay quiet, and pulling him out of the open doorway, then they both lean their heads around the door frame to see. Jihoon reaches over and grabs Mingyu’s hand in his, threading their fingers together as he tells his roommate, “Mingyu, all of the lyrics I've written about love have been about you...God, way to sound like a loser...or worse, a stalker. Ugh, try again idiot!” And he rewinds time again.

\---

Since Wonwoo doesn't forget when Jihoon rewinds, he gets quicker each time at pulling Hansol out of the doorway so they can observe without getting caught. Of course, he's the only one who remembers anything more than the current attempt at confessing to Mingyu...well, the only one other than Jihoon...but after about the fifteenth time, it's becoming apparent that Jihoon isn't ever going to figure out how to confess in a way that he's satisfied with. On the twentieth time, Jihoon starts with “Ahh, fuck subtlety,” standing up from his office chair to straddle Mingyu’s thighs and dive right into the steamiest kiss Wonwoo's ever seen. Based solely on the way Mingyu wraps his arms around the smaller man and pulls him closer, Jihoon’s feelings are definitely reciprocated. Of course, as one of Mingyu’s closest friends, Wonwoo already knew that he had been pining for his roommate for years...at least, other Mingyu had. Even so, Jihoon rewinds time yet again. 

\---

This time, Jihoon has apparently given up on confessing today. He turns to his computer and is back to business. 

Joshua teleports to the door, sees Wonwoo and Hansol peeking around the door frame and instantly mimics them. “Who are we spying on?” he whispers.

Hansol has no idea why they’re hiding from Jihoon and Mingyu working on a new song, but Wonwoo fills them both in, without revealing embarrassing details of course, on the twenty-something times Jihoon confessed then aborted. Joshua teleports away once during the explanation but quickly returns. 

After hearing about Jihoon's plight, Joshua taps his pointer finger to his lips while he thinks. “Hmmm...most romantic place I've ever….got it. Don't do anything. I'll be right back.” He's gone for about five minutes, which seems like an eternity when you're expecting someone who can teleport to be right back. Wonwoo has considered just barging into the studio about five dozen times by the time Joshua emerges from the studio across the hall with a thick blanket and a picnic basket filled to the top with takeout containers, a bottle of expensive soju, and two small glasses. “Here, carry these for me.”

Wonwoo grabs the blanket and basket and follows Shua into the studio. Seungkwan leaps from his shoulder to the top of a tall stack of speakers, and then scampers around to where he will have a front row seat to whatever Joshua has planned.

“Hello Jihoonie and Mingyu. What are you guys up to today?” His voice is pure saccharine - much too sweet and utterly fake. Wonwoo makes a mental note to avoid Joshua at all costs whenever he's talking like this. He just always seems so legitimately kind that, even when the sweetness is over the top, like right now, you take it at face value. In that sense, he might actually be more dangerous than Jeonghan. 

Jihoon already seems to know this, however, because he squints his eyes suspiciously as he answers, “Working on Mingyu's rap lines for a new song. Why?”

Joshua hesitates for just long enough that Wonwoo is convinced that he's too intimidated by Jihoon to pull this off, but then he blurts out. “Maybe the song should be a love confession.”

If Wonwoo didn't already know the producer's ability, he would have guessed that it was throwing fireballs with a look, based purely on the glare being aimed at Joshua right now. But their soft spoken member doesn't falter under the weight of Jihoon’s stare this time. “Look, I'll be blunt. Everyone but the two of you is aware that you're both madly in love with each other.” Joshua glances back and sees that Wonwoo is still in the doorway, and gestures emphatically for him to get closer. “We figured it was time for an intervention.”

Jihoon turns his glare on Wonwoo, smart enough to suspect almost instantly that he must have seen Jihoon’s attempts at confessing. He raises his hand to his temples, just as Joshua reaches out to put a hand on each of the love birds’ wrists. Even if he teleports them, it won't stop Jihoon from rewinding time and forcing them to do this all over again. Wonwoo is lurching forward to try to stop Jihoon when Mingyu places a hand on Jihoon’s knee and quietly says, “Please don't do that Jihoonie. For my part, he's not wrong.” 

Jihoon drops his hand in shock, Wonwoo collides into Joshua’s back, and the four of them are instantly on a beach in the dark. It was midday just moments ago. So how is it now suddenly the middle of the night? And so ridiculously hot? Ohhh...it only takes Wonwoo a moment to realize they must be on the other side of the world.

As Wonwoo’s eyes begin to adjust to the darkness, lit only by the light of a sliver of moon and the best view of the stars he's ever seen - there is absolutely no light pollution here! - Joshua is giving quick instructions. “We're on a completely deserted island in the Caribbean. Wonwoo, lay out the blanket, please. There are several windproof candles in the basket plus a lighter.”

Joshua disappears and Wonwoo begins the tasks he was assigned. Mingyu starts shedding layers of clothing, taking only a moment to shuck off enough clothing to look almost like the Gyu Wonwoo knows. ”Ahh, it feels so nice here! Even the breeze is warm. I wonder if the water is warm too.”

Jihoon roots around in the picnic basket and sets out candles but doesn't begin lighting them. “Are you hungry, Gyu?”

“When am I not hungry?”

“Yeah. That's a good point.” Jihoon’s voice goes soft, fond, and Wonwoo feels like he's intruding on an intimate moment. But they're just talking about food, for goodness sakes. That isn't an intimate moment, right? Although… with the two of them… they both do love to eat.

And then Joshua is back, oblivious to the mood that had descended in his absence. “I've been here a few times, but alas, never been able to stay here for a date myself. I hear the solitude is divine…the clear ocean water as well. Also, Hansol was saying at dinner last night that there's a meteor shower this week, so enjoy your picnic and the view. I'll drop in every…” He disappears again, and when he returns, picks right back up where he left off. “‘...thirty minutes, precisely, to check on you. Please keep track of the time on a phone, and don't make me witness anything I should never have to see.” He's talking fast to get everything in before he rubber bands back to the Pledis building for a third time, and with an innate sense of timing borne from a lifetime of living within the limitations of his ability, he places a hand on Wonwoo’s shoulder a split second before teleporting.

They hear Mingyu say, “Thanks hyung!” right as they disappear.


	5. Seungkwan

A part of Seungkwan is wishing that he'd stayed on Wonwoo's shoulder to see wherever Joshua teleported them all to - the most romantic place Joshua has ever been would have to be worth seeing at least once. He's been everywhere!! And an even smaller part sort of wishes that he'd had the nerve to stick around even after Joshua returned, just to verify that Jihoon and Mingyu finally said all of the things they needed to say to each other. 

But it isn't as if he could butt in and correct them if one of them skirted the truth, and it's very possible that he could accidentally get left there if no one noticed him sneaking along in the first place. 

No, it's much better that he stayed here. With Hansol. The one person who fully understands him, now that Wonwoo is broken. “Hansolie,” he climbs onto the couch and into his lap, nuzzling the top of his head into Hansol’s hands, knocking off his beret in the process, “tell me what's going on with Wonu. Why is he acting so strangely?”

But Hansol shakes his head gently, mouth open slightly as he considers the idea and his response. “It might be important that he tell you himself.”

“Well, that's really freaking cryptic. Especially added to all of the weirdness you were spouting on the way here.” Seungkwan nips lightly at his finger to be sure he feels his displeasure with that answer. “I think I'd have felt better if you'd just said ‘not right now’. Or even just ‘no’.” He rolls around a bit, getting more comfortable, which as usual means ensuring that as much of his body as possible is touching some part of Hansol, who wriggles his fingers to scratch gently on Seungkwan’s head and ears. “Mmm...feels nice.” He sighs contentedly, but then, as always, is unable to stay quiet for long. “Do you think Wonu has been taking his vitamins? Remind me, when we get home, and I'll pull out some extras for him.” 

His voice gets softer as he begins thinking out loud, completely ignoring Hansol’s “I don't think this is about needing more vitamins, Boo.” Also, completely ignoring the very familiar scene of Joshua teleporting into the room and then right back out again, as his ten second limit expires.

“I'll give him Ginko Biloba for improved blood flow to the brain. And maybe some Huperzine A to increase the activity of his neurotransmitters… hmm… Am I already giving him enough Vitamin E?”

“Seungkwan, really, I don't think more vitamins will help him. This isn't something that supplements can fix.”

“You never think more vitamins will help. But who made it through the tour without getting sick? Everyone who I force extra vitamins onto. That's who. I swear to you, I suspect Channie tosses my vitamins into the trash after I hand them out. That's why he ended up sick in the hospital multiple times on the tour.”

“OK, ok. I'll remind you to grab some extra vitamins for Wonu when we get home. Even if it can't help, it can't hurt.”

Seungkwan loves when Hansol agrees with him, so as a reward to them both, he scampers up the front of Hansol’s hoodie to snuggle into the cozy dip of his clavicle. “You're so smart, Hansolie!” 

Hansol chuckles and reaches up to cover Seungkwan with one hand, gently holding him close while Joshua materializes in the room and is gone once more.

“I don't suppose Jihoon is going to be back any time soon to write lyrics with us.”

Seungkwan huffs a tiny rat laugh. “Well, we'll just have to get started without him. We should write a love song, so he has an outlet for all of the emotions that will be bubbling around inside of him after finally telling Gyu how he feels.”

“Or a song about revenge, so he can write lyrics about Shua.” 

“What about me?” Joshua returns again, this time with Wonwoo in tow, and the only thing on Seungkwan’s mind is making him explain what's going on.

He stands up and runs from Hansol’s chest to the back of the couch, onto a desk against the wall, then up the side of a speaker, and from there, he jumps onto Wonwoo’s shoulder. “Welcome back! Now tell me everything! Why was Hansol talking about ‘your reality’? Why are you broken? Why did you sleep in your own room last night? And incidentally, what did you think of the most romantic place Joshua has ever seen? Maybe we should get him to take us there to work through whatever is wrong with you!”

When Hansol translates for Wonwoo and Joshua, he only says, “He wants to know what's going on, Wonu.” Seungkwan hates when he doesn't bother to translate everything he says, but in this instance, maybe it will lead to him getting answers more quickly. Hansol continues, “Joshua, I have a theory that Wonu might need to tell us what's going on one at a time, to trigger our memories of what he's talking about…”

“Oh, Cheolie and I were just in the practice room across the hall, talking about what you told him earlier, Wonu. I've started to remember things that fit with what he was saying. So I don't think it matters who tells us, or if you do it one member at a time.”

Seungkwan rolls his eyes at Hansol. “You could have already explained everything. Apparently none of this secrecy or telling it right matters.”

“I'm sorry. We didn't know. It's not like there's a manual that explains what he needs to do to trigger everyone's memories.”

“No, you're right. I'm sorry. Just… please… tell me already!” Hansol doesn't bother telling the others what he's said, but Wonwoo clearly understands that he just wants to know what's going on, because he starts to pace, scrubbing his hands through his hair to help him think.

“I'm not sure...where to start.”

“Start from the beginning, silly.” Yet again, Hansol doesn't translate. It's alright though, he can communicate without words. He wraps his paws around Wonwoo’s neck and nuzzles close, to give him the confidence to continue. Regardless of what he has to tell them, it won't change how Seungkwan feels about him.

“Cheolie tells me that you woke up this morning with no memory of anyone having abilities…” Shua prompts.

“Right…” and Wonwoo launches into a fantastical story about an alternate world that sounds utterly boring and unimaginative, where the only entertainment their bandmates have is having arguments about ridiculous things and…

“Wait, what? So everyone is mad at me, fighting with me constantly… and I have to be a HUMAN twenty-four-seven? And he expects us to help him get back to THAT reality? It sounds like it's terrible there!!! Why would we want to be there instead of here?”

Hansol, damn him, still doesn't bother to tell the others what he's saying, but Wonwoo asks, “Is Kwanna upset about something?”

“Damn straight I'm upset! I don't want to be human all day every day, I don't want everyone bickering with me constantly, and I really don't like the idea of Wonu forgetting all about our relationship for the past several months! Plus, the only person who understands everything I say can't be bothered to help me communicate!” He side eyes Hansol. “But hey, what's there for Kwanna to be upset about, right?”

The studio door opens and Jeonghan leans his head in. “Has anyone seen Mingyu? He promised Chan that he'd film a Danceology for him today but no one can find him.” 

Joshua glances at his phone, “I'm going to check on him and Jihoon in three minutes.”

“Check on them? Where did you leave them? Oooooooh, are they at the island? Wait a minute… if they're at the island, does that mean that they've finally confessed to each other?”

Sometimes it's really frightening how observant and intuitive Jeonghan is. 

Joshua, for his part, seems unsurprised at how much Jeonghan understood from his single cryptic comment. “They might have needed a little push, but their feelings definitely aren't secret anymore.”

“Well Wonu, I guess that means you get to be the director slash videographer for Channie’s Danceology video today. They're ready to get started and they need you now.” Jeonghan picks Seungkwan off his perch on Wonwoo and sets him in Hansol’s lap, then grabs Wonwoo's hand and pulls him from the room without giving him an option. He calls back, “Shua, as soon as you're done checking on the lovebirds on their island vacation, Cheolie and I are still waiting for you across the hall.”

As if on cue, Joshua's alarm goes off. “Be right there, Jeonghannie.” And he blinks out of the room.

Seungkwan huffs. “I didn't even get to ask Wonu any questions or get any more details.” He glowers up at Hansol. “And you weren't much help. You didn't even tell him anything I said through the whole conversation!”

“Yeah, well, I figured if you really wanted to have a conversation, you'd change to your human form.”

“Ugh. No way. I don't do that this early in the day if I can help it! I prefer to spend the hours that I have to be human asleep between the two of you. Humans are so gangly and uncoordinated. The only good thing about being human is vocal chords.” After a moment's thought, he adds, “And cuddling. Dancing can be fun too, I guess.”

“How about writing? You've always been so proud of your handwriting when you do calligraphy.”

“What are you talking about? I've never spent any time working on handwriting. I'm not in human form for enough hours each day to bother with something like that.”

“Oh…. yeah… Now that you say that, I can remember… But before you said it, I remembered another reality where… you bragged about winning calligraphy competitions in grade school?”

“Oh no...did Wonu infect you with his broken-ness? Hansol. Don't you get broken too! I need you!”

“Oh God. Kwanna… in that other world, we weren't even... Shit, I'm such an idiot. You know that I love you, right?”

“I love you too, Hansolie. You're scaring me. What's wrong?”

“What a waste of all that time! I can't believe I would be so stupid… memories are coming back to me that I didn't have before and the contrast of our lives there to here… I… I really hope this is the way it actually…” To Seungkwan's complete and total surprise, tears begin dripping one by one from his boyfriend's eyes, slowly at first, only to be followed by a stream that doesn't show any sign of stopping. He pulls Seungkwan up to his chest and holds him tight, but not uncomfortably so.

An emotional Boo Seungkwan is one thing. Seungkwan is used to losing control of his emotions, and everyone who knows him well has certainly had to get used to it too, whether they wanted to or not. Or else stop being around him. Seungkwan knows what to do when he gets sad. He knows that he can go for a walk and think things through and it will ease up. Hugs help a lot too. Less helpful are the things that he often, embarrassingly, does in the heat of the moment...biting, scratching, and yelling, or… well, screeching at the top of his little lungs. These are all things that he's used to.

An emotional Chwe Hansol is a completely different situation. This is mostly uncharted territory. Hansol is the most emotionally stable member of their band, with Wonwoo a close second. It's one of the reasons that the three of them work so well together, because - Seungkwan can admit this, if only to himself - the other two offset Seungkwan's tendency towards high strung with their level-headed calm. Hansol is neither level-headed nor calm at the moment, and he isn't responding to Seungkwan's question, nor his comment that this is scaring him, with anything other than hugs and tears. Seungkwan has no idea what to do… but his subconscious decides for him.

In the next instant, Hansol finds his arms full of his boyfriend in cuddly human form instead of cuddly furry form. Seungkwan shifts so that his knees are on either side of Hansol's legs, arms wrapped around his neck, and he immediately begins peppering the younger man's face with kisses, wet from Hansol's tears, and quickly getting wetter as Seungkwan finds himself adding his own tears to the mix. In between kisses, he tries to comfort Hansol, still not completely sure what has the younger so upset. “Baby, it's alright! Oh Hansolie, it's OK.” More kisses. “When I see you crying,  
I don't know what to do! What can I do?”

Hansol is still clutching him tightly, now around his very human waist, and finally begins returning the little kisses, lightly caressing his eyelids, the constellation of tiny moles just under his sideburns, burying his nose into the spot behind his ear. When he finally answers, his words are quiet, but almost desperate. Seungkwan still has no idea why he is despairing. “Kwanna, my heart wants to givе you anything and everything. But right now I hate myself. I'm a fool who only has only taken, and I'm so sorry for what we've missed... I'm even more sorry for you.”

“No no, Hansolie, no matter what has you upset, you need to know that you are my happiness. Even when I'm in deep despair, you always make me smile, you're always by my side. Just seeing your smile lets me momentarily forget about everything.”

“Thank you, so much, for staying by my side! I already have memories of both this reality and the other, and I was worried that you wouldn't forgive me. But right now, you've made me look forward to talking to the you who remembers everything too.” He finally stops the teasing, sweet bunny kisses and slants his lips over Seungkwan's for a deep, passionate kiss. When he finally pulls back, breathless, they lock eyes for a moment before he pledges, “My love only amounts to this...I've been hiding my love for you, denying it, for years. And you're the only one who knows the depth of my feelings. But from now on, I'll do everything for you. I promise, my heart won't ever change! I'll protect you for the rest of our days!”

“Ahh Hansolie, you have all my love! You and Wonu!!! I'm so glad that you're not broken, even with these new memories. As soon as I remember, we'll figure out how to fix him too.” He snuggles in even closer, as if they aren't already touching along the entire length of their bodies, tastes Hansol's lips again, and again, and a third time, then admits with a contented sigh, “This is the best part about being human, as long as you promise to hold me all of the time, maybe I won't mind that other reality so much.”

"Always!"


	6. Wonwoo

Jeonghan lets go of Wonwoo’s hand almost as soon as they're in the hallway. “They're in the basement practice room.” He pushes Wonwoo in the center of his back, not unkindly, toward the stairwell. 

Wonwoo, for his part, is in no hurry to head down the hall… is still mentally back in Woozi’s studio. His footsteps are slow and measured. He wants to know how Seungkwan is reacting to everything he just told him, wonders if he is starting to remember already, and if he'll still want to continue their relationship once he does. There's no guarantee that he will. Wonwoo hasn't deluded himself about that point. He could be throwing away his one chance to experience the love that he's craved from afar for years. But still, deep in his gut, he knows that this is the path he has to take. They're in the wrong reality, and until he fixes everything, he won't be able to relax into the embrace of his two beloved dongsaengs. 

Before he makes it past the next set of practice rooms on his way to the stairs at the end of the hall, he hears Joshua return, chuckling quietly. “That worked out well. I think we'll finally see an end to years of tension… and maybe have a happier Jihoon.”

Jeonghan, always pragmatic and seeing right to the heart of matters muses, “What will this do for our future songs, I wonder? I think Jihoon’s silent longing for Gyu has inspired many of our biggest hits, and now...I imagine there will be a shift.”

Their voices get softer as Wonwoo approaches the door at the end of the hallway, and then he's through it and jogging down the stairs to the basement. This practice room is their largest space, perfect for filming dance practices and Dino’s Danceology, but it isn't even remotely where he wants to be right now. He takes a deep, cleansing breath, reminding himself that he has a responsibility to all twelve of their members equally. He can't prioritize Seungkwan and Hansol over any of the others just because he's in love with them. As he exhales, he turns the knob and heads in to do what has been, admittedly, his new favorite passion… filming and directing.

Of course, one of the primary reasons that he threw himself so passionately into that hobby was the lack of passion in his love life. Or rather, more like lack of a love life. He suspects that having a love life, if he manages to get through this ordeal with that intact, won't actually change his love for his new hobby, but hopefully… Please God!!!... Hopefully will give him even less time to pursue it. Because if he has any say in how things play out, he has several months of missed memories to remake.

Once he steps inside the practice room, shutting the door behind him, he leaves all of those thoughts outside. These moments belong to the three members in the room with him now, and he'll never short-change them as a result of his love life. Besides, now that he knows that he can tell multiple people at once, and still have them begin to remember his reality, he figures this is a perfect opportunity. Of course, he isn't going to spring that on them until after filming is complete. It wouldn’t be fair to clog their thoughts with this information while they’re trying to focus.

He's fairly certain that nothing in the world could have prepared him for the sight he encounters upon entering this room. Seokmin, a pigeon, is directing Chan in dance moves. For his part, Chan seems to be extremely committed to getting the moves exactly right. His third eye, apparently movable depending on where he needs it, is in the back of his head, and he's using it to ensure that each dance move is aligned exquisitely. He has his knees bent, his neck bobbing, and arms fluttering slightly into the air, loose even as his shoulders shrug to the beat. They pigeon-walk a few steps, then add some graceful leaps and pirouettes. Honestly if anyone had tried to describe this to Wonwoo, he'd have decided immediately that it would look ridiculous, but watching it, he's rather entranced. 

But it makes complete sense that Chan can make a lovely dance inspired by a pigeon. He's made fantastic dances inspired by flowers before. And heck, Hoshi once admitted to basing a dance move off a flickering street lamp. Yeah, he should know better than to question his members’ talents. They could be inspired by a rock and still turn it into a lovely dance. And… well… he has to admit that pigeons actually do have some pretty funky dance moves.

Hoshi, on the other hand, is apparently embracing his tiger agenda a bit more fully than is typical. And his typical level of tiger agenda is already quite high. He is on his belly, crawling along the floor with his butt raised slightly in the air, wagging it slowly back and forth as if lashing a tail through the air. His teeth are bared in his huge trademark grin, almost a tiger snarl, with his nose slightly scrunched, but much too happy to ever quite manage a snarl. He is prowling, like a tiger hiding in tall grass, stalking its prey. Wherever the other two dancers move across the dance floor, he tracks their movements and slinks towards them. 

Wonwoo is a bit surprised to find himself thinking that it is the sexiest display of animalistic desire that he's ever witnessed. But then again, this is Hoshi. When he wants to, he exudes sexy. And when he choreographs, he makes choices that other people would scoff at, and then he not only pulls them off… he nails them so hard that anyone watching has to admit they're breathtakingly brilliant.

When there's a break in the music, where Chan is resetting to the beginning of the song, Wonwoo walks over and kicks his best friend on the bottom of his foot, gently, since Hoshi is currently shoeless. “Hey! Gyu is otherwise occupied right now, so you guys get me instead. How long till you're ready to begin filming?” 

Hoshi stops prowling the floor and rolls around to sit with his legs sprawled out to either side, hands behind him to hold himself up. His tiger snarl turns to his happy smile, eyes still completely swallowed by the gesture in either case, “Awesome! I love working with my best bud! Gyu still working on lyrics with Woozi?” He reaches up with one hand. “Here, help me up.”

“Yeah, still with Woozi.” Wonwoo doesn't bother correcting Hoshi on their activities, figuring it isn't his secret to tell, but enough people know already that it won't remain a secret for long regardless. He grabs Hoshi’s hand to pull him up, but instead, his ridiculous friend tugs him down on top of him, and grabs him in a full body starfish embrace, wrapping both arms and both legs completely around Wonwoo and then rolling back and forth in place.

“I haven't gotten any Wonu hugs yet today!! I need a recharge!” Wonwoo relaxes into the embrace, huffing a quiet laugh at his best friend's antics and letting himself enjoy a few moments of normalcy on this day of insanity...well, their version of normalcy, at any rate. When he's had enough hugs, and then lets it go on for several minutes longer to give Hoshi enough to refill his hug-o-meter, he pulls back as much as he can from the starfish to wriggle his fingers into his friend's ribs. He knows from past experience that Hoshi isn't going to just let him go so he can stand back up. 

No, he has to fight his way free.

Hoshi lets out a high pitched shrieking giggle, that soon delves into the lowest register he can hit as a playful pretend tiger rumble, signaling that he's going on the attack, and drives his own fingers into Wonwoo's sides in a passionate tickle fight, from which there will be no winner. Or else, they'll both win equally. Because they always end up breathless and giddy from the ridiculousness of a tickle fight. And Wonwoo knows that he's lucky to have such a lighthearted and silly best friend, because without him, he'd have a tendency to get too serious, too caught up in the worries that always need tending to. But for right now, in this moment, he's able to shuck the worries and let laughter sweep his mind clean. And it is wonderful!

They end up halfway across the room, Wonwoo on top this time, Hoshi still wrapped around him, both of them breathing heavily for several minutes, content to remain entwined even though it is surely impeding Hoshi's attempts to catch his breath. “Ahh, thanks, Soonyoungie hyung! I needed that.”

“Rough day?” Hoshi follows up his words by unraveling his legs from Wonwoo and then loosening his arms to a soft embrace and running his hands gently across his back in a comforting gesture.

“Hah...you can say that again.” Wonwoo rolls off his friend and sits up, taking off his glasses to rub at his eyes. “It's been the weirdest day of my life, and I'm nowhere near to resolving all of the questions.”

“Wanna tell your favorite tiger all about it?” As Hoshi wriggles into a seated position across from him, an intricately carved tiger pendant slides from where it had landed on his collarbone to dangle from its cord on his chest.

“Yeah, let's chat after we film this Danceology. I don't want Chan to feel like I'm not putting our favorite maknae first!”

“Good plan. Our little Channie can always use a bit of good old fashioned spoiling.” He reaches out for a high five, and they clasp hands, then plant their feet against each other and tug themselves up from the floor. It’s a move they’ve been doing since they were young, to conserve energy during hours upon hours of practices, done almost without thought these days.

“I like your pendant. Is that new?” Since his hands are already reaching towards his friend, it's only natural to move to lift the necklace closer to get a better look at it. 

Before he can touch it, Hoshi wraps one hand around the tiger, clutching it almost protectively. If Wonwoo didn't know better, he'd say that his friend looked suspicious of him, but his smile falters for only a split second and then is back in full force as he tucks it back under his shirt . “It was a gift from a lady I met.”

“Cool. I like it.” He doesn't know why Hoshi got weird all of a sudden, but figures it's best to just diffuse the situation. Maybe he's having a fling and wants to keep it secret. But he'd usually tell Wonwoo anything. He's terrible at keeping secrets. He's just too open and honest with every emotion that flits through his mind, typically too absorbed in deep thought about their group activities to worry with hiding anything as trivial as his emotions.

Regardless, Wonwoo figures that's a puzzle for later. Whatever is going on in his friend's love life might not even be happening in the other reality, and his primary goal is to get back there as soon as possible.

He pulls out the tripod, then attaches one of the high end digital video cameras that he and Mingyu have been using for their entry into video production. When Chan sees him, he jogs over to give him a quick, slightly sweaty hug. “Thank you for helping, hyung! Is Mingyu hyung coming too? We could have moving shots from multiple angles if you're both here.”

“No, sorry. Gyu had something come up,” _something like a romantic picnic on a deserted island with his long time crush_ “so you're stuck with me.”

“I don't feel stuck. I appreciate you stepping in to help, hyung. We're dancing to a Five Seconds of Summer song called Thin White Line. Do you know it?”

“Yeah, I've heard it a few times. I liked the moves you were doing with Seokmin out there.”

“Thanks hyung!!”

“But I don't really understand how this bozo and his tiger prowling fit in. He looked like he wanted to gobble the two of you up. Someday we are actually going to convince him that he isn't a tiger.”

Chan laughs, but it sounds a bit forced, slightly confused. He says, “Well, yeah, but it makes sense because of his tiger vision,” and then mumbles an excuse to get back to practicing while Wonwoo finishes setting up the video equipment.

“What was that all about, Soonyoungie?” But his best friend is also looking at him like he has dirt on his face or something. “What? You know I was just teasing, right? I think your tiger agenda is cute, and the fans eat it up.”

“Yeah. Umm… cute… You're being weird.” And with that, he walks away and begins stretching with his back to Wonwoo, very clearly giving him the cold shoulder. But Wonwoo isn't sure what exactly he said wrong. And he doesn't have a clue what Chan meant by ‘tiger vision.’

By the time they do several takes of the dance, some due to mistakes, others to get different angles to crop together, it's almost dinner time, and Wonwoo is starving and exhausted. Hoshi must be as well because he heads out of the studio as soon as they're done without saying another word to anyone.

There isn't much to put away, and Wonwoo and Mingyu have been fairly covetous of their equipment anyway, so the others don't help him as he rolls up power cords and folds away the tripods. 

Chan heads over, with much less bounce remaining in his step than when they started, Seokmin perched on the top of his head, somehow looking exhausted without actually managing to have much expression, because… Well… pigeon. “Thank you for staying so long to get this right, hyung. I'll order from that restaurant you love so much and pick it up after my shower. See you back at home!”

“Wait, Channie, I need to tell you… about…” And even though they're all tired and hungry, and Chan is hot and sweaty to boot, he launches into an explanation of _The Situation_ , and his plan to somehow get them all back to a different reality. But because they’re all tired and hungry, and Chan is hot and sweaty to boot, he keeps it short and simple, hoping that Joshua’s experience is proof that it doesn't matter.

With very few details to go on, and hunger and exhaustion pulling him back to their apartment, Chan takes it in stride, and responds with an easy, “Let's talk more over dinner.” And honestly, Wonwoo has been wanting to be elsewhere for hours now, so he's quite content to agree.

As he’s trudging down the hall to the stairwell, wondering why standing behind the camera wears him out almost as much as dancing in front of one typically does, he decides to go back upstairs to see if Hansol and Seungkwan are still here. Halfway up, he encounters Bumzu heading down. "Hey, hey. Just the guy I've been looking for." 

That's odd, because Wonwoo would swear that he's pretty much _never_ been the person Bumzu is looking for. Jihoon, yes. Hansol, certainly. Wonwoo, nope. But OK. He rolls with it. "Can I help you with something Bumzu-sunbaenim?"

"Ahhh, so formal! None of that. Seungcheol caught me earlier and gave me a run-down of the situation you've suddenly found yourself in. He asked me to do him a little favor, and pass along a piece of my gift to you."

"Your gift?" Wonwoo has no idea what Bumzu's ability in this world might be, nor why the leader would request the favor. 

"Yeah. Even if it doesn't solve your problem of how to make things right, it might help you straighten out other… more personal… aspects of your life, if you get my meaning." He looks up and down the stairwell, ensuring they're really alone before continuing. "Once I do this, you'll receive the memories of the next person you touch. Use it wisely." And with that, he puts his hands on either side of Wonwoo's face, closes his eyes, and hums a note so deep that Wonwoo feels it in his chest more than hears it. A chill starts in the spot where he feels the note and spreads from there up and down his spine until he shivers with the sensation. "There you have it, my boy. Use it wisely, and don't give away my secret. Jihoon in particular will be very angry if you spill it, since he's used it many a time to help him with lyrics."

And while Wonwoo is still reeling from the infinitesimal shivers pinging like lightning up and down his spinal cord, Bumzu bounds down the stairs as if nothing of import had happened, calling a casual "See ya!" over his shoulder before disappearing through the door to the first floor lobby. 

He honestly has no idea what to make of the encounter, except that he needs to be extremely careful of who he next touches, to ensure Seungcheol's favor is well used. And he's hoping the only two candidates for using the gift on will be at the top of these stairs, so he finally gets control of his legs and finishes the climb. 

When he reaches the hallway that leads to Woozi's studio, he hears the three eldest members having a rather heated discussion with the door to their practice room open. "I just don't like it! I really don't think it's a good idea to include this song on an album!" Joshua's raised voice isn't something you hear very often, especially not to disagree with his two hyungs. Without even intentionally doing so, Wonwoo pauses to listen in. 

Of course Jeonghan is the one to respond. "Come on, Shua, you have to admit it's a great track, and the lyrics we've been working on fit it perfectly! And it is going to be amazing with our three voices weaving together. It's a perfect tribute to our relationship. What's not to love?"

"Yeah, well, that's just it, isn't it? It does feel like a tribute to us…and this just really wasn't how I envisioned us coming out about our relationship. I pretty much don't ever envision us coming out about our relationship. It feels reckless and...too sudden. I mean, not sudden, since we've been together for… you know, just…I'm still worried about the implications for the entire band, you know? I know you say that I worry too much, but, as I've said repeatedly, we have to be careful. "

"And just like I've replied repeatedly, the only people who are going to listen to this song and correctly deduce that it means that the three of us are dating are the people who already _'ship'_ us." Wonwoo can hear the emphasis on the word ship, and would bet that Jeonghan is doing little air quotes to accompany that word. He's still rather hung up on the news that the three of them are dating. He'd always wondered about them, because sometimes it seemed like the leader was into Jeonghan and other times into Joshua, but it also - always - seemed like there was something between Jeonghannie and Shua as well. The news, if it is true in his other reality, would certainly pave the way for him to have a relationship with Hansol and Seungkwan, and this thought lightens his worries significantly. "We literally commemorated the beginning of our relationship by singing about falling for each other, and that didn't suddenly result in public accusations or shaming. So why do you expect this to be any different?"

"I dunno." There's a long pause, and Wonwoo finds himself wondering if Seungcheol might finally step into the conversation. Of course, their leader isn't very demonstrative with words, but his actions speak volumes, so it's possible that he's involved in the conversation in other ways. "I guess _Falling For You_ just felt lighthearted, like our own little secret, and everything was so new, it felt like no one could possibly notice. We'd only just realized it ourselves, you know? But now, I love you both so deeply, it feels like the moment we perform this live, everyone will be able to see right into our hearts. How exactly do you propose we perform this?"

"Maybe we should just…" The next few sounds that come from the room - a surprised gasp followed by scuffling, and a deep thump perhaps of a body hitting a wall, then a contented sigh and the definite sounds of kissing - snap Wonwoo out of his eavesdropping trance, and he sneaks quickly past the door to their practice room to check Woozi's studio. 

The lights are off and the door locked up tight for the night. Jihoon never locks up this early! But Wonwoo figures today is a day of miraculous events, literally. Teleportation, telepathy, time manipulation… these are all more comment-worthy than Woozi's studio being empty at dusk. 

Barely.


	7. Hansol

Hansol's eyes still feel swollen from crying when he wakes up. God, is this how Seungkwan feels every time he cries? No wonder he has so many tricks for reducing puffiness! The feeling of being bloated is unpleasant, but is offset by the comforting feeling of Seungkwan still wrapped tightly around him, fast asleep. They hadn't intended to nap, but since Jihoon was too busy to work on lyrics, and everyone else had been occupied with their own plans, they'd headed back to the dorms. After all of the crying though, Hansol's eyes had been so achy, he'd just decided to close them for a little while. And it had felt so nice to have Seungkwan in his arms. They'd dozed off and slept the day away. Maybe this is why Seungkwan often has so much trouble waking up as well… his eyes ache from crying so much. 

But, Hansol realizes, he doesn't cry much at all in this reality, only in Wonwoo's. And it's pretty much all Hansol's fault that poor Kwanna has been so miserable there. "God, I really am an idiot!" He doesn't say it loudly enough to wake Seungkwan, but when he lifts his hand to run it through his hair in frustration, the elder begins to rouse, instinctively nuzzling into the juncture of Hansol's collarbone and neck while rolling himself even further on top of Hansol's body and squeezing a bit tighter. 

Hansol is too focused on his memories to do anything more than wrap a second arm around Seungkwan and hold him as if he might disappear. The process of remembering Wonwoo’s world seems to be complete. It is extremely disconcerting to have two distinct sets of memories of the past several months. He can clearly remember his life in this world, where he and Wonwoo and Seungkwan have been happily navigating their relationship since January. They've learned all of the little nuances of making things work, ways to ensure that they each feel equally loved, and ways to circumvent Seungkwan's tendency to get upset over unintentional slights.

Hansol knows now, somehow deep down, that Wonwoo has been right all along. He already knew it, just listening to Wonwoo, but now that all of the memories of both worlds are nestled in his head, his mind knows which is the true existence. This reality isn't real. This isn't where they belong. But a part of him wishes they could remain here, or at the very least be guaranteed that the memories they've made here would return to the other reality with them when they manage to fix things. The thought of losing all of these months is almost enough to push him to tears again. 

Luckily, his descent into those depressing thoughts is interrupted by a knock on the door followed immediately by Chan's head peeking into the room. "I was buying dinner for Wonu to thank him for helping film Danceology today and decided to buy for everyone. Better hurry up or it might all disappear before you two get any." 

Everyone is already at the table when they arrive, except Jun, who is sitting on the couch playing video games and shouting excitedly at the TV every few seconds, and Wonwoo, who is standing in the far corner of the room with a hoodie on, hood pulled up and sleeves pulled down into sweater paws. Wonwoo has always had a tendency to get cold easily, but it isn't cold in here, and he looks as bundled up as Mingyu always is… well, as this Mingyu always is. Gosh, it's ridiculously confusing to have two sets of realities. 

Everyone else is chatting animatedly, paying very little attention to either Wonwoo or his just arrived boyfriends. But Hansol can't shake the feeling that something is wrong with his hyung. 

He tries to make his way across the crowded room to check on Wonwoo, but Chan had apparently put his third eye on the back of his neck to watch for them. He stands up and grabs Hansol by the shoulders and pushes him into the chair beside his, "Sit here, hyung! I'll fill your plate. It's all so yummy! You too, Kwanna.” He gestures for Seungkwan to take the empty seat a couple of chairs down from them, next to Seokmin, who is also back in human form - probably so he has more room in his stomach to eat lots of yummy foods. 

Hansol doesn't want to draw attention to Wonwoo when he's obviously doing his best to go unnoticed in the far corner of the room for some reason. So he sits. And wonders. 

His ability should help him to understand what's going on with Wonwoo, but without being able to talk - or at least listen - to Wonwoo, it just isn't giving him enough. Wonwoo has perked up some, now that he and Seungkwan have entered the room, his eyes flicking back and forth between the two of them, his brow furrowed as if he's trying to solve a puzzle. Hansol wants to help. It's what he's good at, after all, but he continues to hold back until he knows more. Wonwoo knows what he can do, and he'll ask, if he wants help with whatever is on his mind.

But that doesn't change the fact that Hansol wants to help, wants to be the one to wipe the uncertainty from Wonwoo's demeanor, wants to solve all of his problems. 

"Great job on the lyrics earlier, you two. Sorry I wasn't...umm… around to work with you." Jihoon's comment, pitched to be heard above the general discussion around the table, breaks him from his thoughts. When he finds the producer's eyes on him, he's confused. He and Seungkwan hadn't worked on lyrics, they'd fallen into a mess of crying and babbling proclamations of love at each other. 

"But, we didn't…." As the implications of Jihoon's statement hits him, his sentence dies on his tongue and he feels his own eyes bulge and his mouth drop open in response. 

An echo of Wonwoo's voice pings in his head, "Reacting is so hard." A memory. He'd said that at their fifth anniversary party, a result of pretending to be Hansol. He'd said it in both timelines, but even though the words had been identical, Hansol remembers both clearly enough to feel the differences as well. In the other world, it had been an innocent statement. A truth about Hansol's natural inclination to gape when something surprises him, and about Wonwoo's comparatively - outwardly - staid demeanor. But here, it had been laced with innuendo, a commentary on the ease with which Hansol and Seungkwan vocalize their reactions and the lengths the two have to go to to get Wonwoo to do the same. Deliciously pleasant lengths… that Hansol absolutely shouldn't be thinking about at the dinner table while Jihoon is still talking to him. 

"... unintentionally left the audio recording running when I was suddenly - forcibly - removed from the studio." He tries to shoot a glare at Joshua, but the giddy smile won't abandon his face, so only his eyebrows manage to look angry. "When I listened to it, I knew the words were perfect for a track I've been working on. I added a few lines about meteor showers and about being an umbrella for someone you love when it rains," he glances up through his eyelashes at Mingyu, sitting next to him - chair pulled so that they're sitting thigh to thigh, probably holding hands under the table as well - and blushes as red as he ever has after being forced to do aegyo at a fan event. "And… umm… it's done. Ready to record." He clears his throat, obviously ready to _not_ be the center of attention anymore. 

But everyone around the table is stunned into silence at the display of Jihoon's affection for their tallest member, who has, himself, never been shy about making his affection for Jihoon obvious to anyone and everyone… and even more so now that he knows the feelings are requited. The silence drags on for what feels like several minutes, but in reality probably doesn't even amount to a full minute, before it is broken by an extremely high pitched scream. 

Everyone around the table exhibits their startled reactions to the scream in different ways. Hansol clutches his chest and turns around to find the source of the noise. It's Jun. Of course it's Junhui. "I'm afraid of sudden silences," he announces calmly, by way of explanation for his outburst, without even stopping his game or glancing away from the TV. When it becomes clear, after a moment, that Jun has broken the awkwardness and has no intention of continuing to interact with the adults around the table, the quiet murmur of individual conversations broken by chuckling at what Jun just did begins to fill the room. 

Seungcheol pulls them back to the previous conversation, "That's great, Jihoonie, that you guys managed to finish a song today! Good job, Hansol...Kwanna!" He puts his arms over the shoulders of Jeonghan and Joshua, sitting to either side of him, and adds, "We have a good start on lyrics for a 95-line unit song too." And everyone begins chatting about doing unit songs based on their ages. 

Hansol finds Wonwoo's eyes, still confused, still watching him and Seungkwan almost equally. Still conflicted. And Hansol can understand where some of that conflict is coming from. Because they aren't the only ones who will be affected by whatever choice is made. 

Jihoon is happier than he's ever seen him, blissful even. And Mingyu is so clearly over the moon with elation, it would be sickening if Hansol weren't similarly elated with his own love life. And because of all of this, he worries about what they're going to lose if they manage to get back to the other timeline, which he's convinced is the real one, but… well… also the one that sucks!

He can remember being there and suspecting that Jihoon and Mingyu were dating. Times that the smaller would jump on their tallest member's back during concerts. A tender look shared between the two that spoke of years of love. Mingyu dragging the shy producer out of his shell, to be more assertive in front of others - often literally dragging him by their linked hands. But now, seeing them radiate joy, Hansol can almost feel the heat of Mingyu’s love from the other end of the table. And sure, Mingyu’s ability in this reality is an affinity for heat, but Hansol is fairly certain that their happiness would be palpable in any reality. And he's equally certain that they'd never admitted their love in that other world. 

If there were some way that he could guarantee he'd remember, he would do it, not only to ensure his own happiness, but for the sake of his hyungs as well. 

"Kwanna?" Wonwoo's voice is quiet, not intended to stop other conversations, but Hansol is attuned to him, so he hears anyway. Seungkwan does too, because he looks up. "Can you come here for a minute?"


	8. Wonwoo

Wonwoo knows that he has to make a decision about how to use Bumzu’s gift. He’s been scared sick that someone might accidentally touch him while he debated which of his new - to him - boyfriends to touch and gain access to all of their memories. He’d bundled up and tucked himself as out of the way as possible while he waited for them to show up, thinking he’d have made a decision by the time they did.

And then they walked into the room. 

It's the first time he's seen Seungkwan as a human in this world, and seeing him in an adorable outfit centered around plaid pants that match the beret he'd worn as a rat, his raspberry-colored hair disheveled from sleep, a look of deep and trusting love on his face, hand in hand with Hansol… with Hansol wearing an identical look, their private smiles not intended to be seen by anyone else but blindingly obvious to anyone with eyes… it all feels too overwhelming. And Wonwoo wants! He wishes he'd been napping with them, wishes he had spent the past several months dating them, like he apparently has in this world.

And of course, that brings him full circle. Once he touches one of them, with Bumzu's gift, he'll have their memories. He just has to decide which one. It shouldn't be too hard, right?

But in actuality, it’s very difficult to make a decision like this. Hansol is arguably the logical choice, but maybe Wonwoo just thinks so because he's the more logical thinker of the two. Plus, with his ability, his innate understanding of things, Wonwoo would be better positioned to figure out how to set things right.

But, really, he doesn't want to choose the logical choice. Logic is something that he understands. 

Seungkwan is not. 

To gain access to Seungkwan's memories would mean he'd have a better understanding of him, of the strange and unusual ways that his mind works, and of how his emotions color every situation. He would understand why Seungkwan’s smile is currently tinged with a hint of sadness, clearly something he's trying to hide, but apparently so strong that it's coming through anyway. And he would know all of the best ways to wipe away that sadness, the things that make Seungkwan the happiest, that bring out his adorable giggles and make him double over with laughter. It's an opportunity that Wonwoo never expected to have, and he is finding it extremely hard to pass up. 

So instead, he is just standing here, looking like a psychopath, huddled in the corner trying to choose his victim. He's mostly ignoring the conversations around the table, hears some of the words and his mind processes them without his permission, but his focus is almost completely attuned to making a decision. Tallying pros and cons. Throwing out the resulting logic only to start again in the hopes that he can convince himself that there's a valid and rational reason to choose the path that he would rather choose.

And suddenly, little Junhui screams like a freaking banshee. "I'm afraid of sudden silences,” he says, as if his explanation is the most logical thing he's ever said. And Wonwoo realizes...logic is highly overrated. Just because something seems logical doesn't actually mean it is. And just because something really is logical doesn't mean it's the best course of action. To Junhui, it was perfectly logical to fill that sudden silence with an ear piercing scream. And it did achieve his intended goal. But there were dozens of other, equally viable, ways to achieve that goal.

Wonwoo doesn't want to spend any more time rationalizing, doesn't care what the _right_ decision might be. He's going to use Bumzu’s gift on Seungkwan. 

"Kwanna?" He's been standing here quietly for so long, his voice comes out even deeper than usual, raspy and gruff. "Can you come here for a minute?"

Even though he was barely louder than the din of the room, somehow Seungkwan heard him, and immediately abandoned the plate of food he'd just served himself to rush over.

Wonwoo had every intention of explaining what Bumzu had done, of asking permission to access Seungkwan's memories, of having Seungkwan do a bit of soul searching to ensure he wanted someone rooting around in his head. It would feel like a terrible violation of his boyfriend’s privacy otherwise. And a bad idea in general, if Seungkwan perhaps loved Hansol more than Wonwoo and once Wonwoo knew that, he might never be able to purge that knowledge from his head to feel confident in their relationship again. 

All of his good intentions go by the wayside - and really, how did he not know this was going to happen?? This is Boo Seungkwan he's dealing with, one of the most tactile people he's ever known - when Seungkwan arrives in front of him and immediately laces their fingers together and leans in to press a soft kiss on the side of Wonwoo’s neck. “What's up, Wonu? Are you alright?” Then presses his other hand to Wonwoo’s forehead to check for a fever. “Have you eaten? You need to eat. And I picked out some vitamins for you, I'll give them to you after dinner. Although, I remember everything now… so I guess I know that you aren't actually broken…”

Seungkwan keeps talking, but it has taken every ounce of concentration Wonwoo possesses to listen for this long. At the moment that they first touched, memories slammed into him like a tsunami crashing against a cliff. He staggers back, away from Seungkwan, as if his body thinks breaking the contact with the red-head will stop the overwhelming flood of information. Certainly his brain doesn't think this, because his brain is too preoccupied processing the new memories. Thoughts, feelings, touches, visions, conversations, smells, even tastes… everything in Seungkwan’s memory downloads into Wonwoo’s and lodges there as if they're his own experiences. Moments that made the deepest home in his mind flash as images across Wonwoo's inner eye, too many to process but too important to ignore.

He remembers performances, Seungkwan's memories from two separate worlds stacking on top of Wonwoo’s own memory from another part of the stage. He sees himself standing above Seungkwan, who is on his knees playing the role of a ship's wheel, with Wonwoo steering. Feels the love radiating from Seungkwan in both worlds, one tinged with desire and regret and frustration and despair, the other filled with contentment and happiness and a suggestive tilt to Seungkwan's smile that holds promises for later. 

He tastes Jeju Hallabong oranges for the first time as a young child. An explosion of sweet flavor on his tongue, forever one of his favorites.

He remembers nights cuddled together with Hansol and himself, trading off who gets sandwiched between the other two. The joy that Seungkwan feels each time it's his turn, and his unspoken appreciation for the fact that his turn comes up more often than it should. Wonwoo will never know if he was aware of the extra affection Seungkwan doled out to express his gratitude, because nothing was ever acknowledged aloud. 

He experiences Seungkwan's first kiss - with Hansol, of course. Under the covers in the dorm rooms in the early days before they debuted. A natural extension of all of the touches they shared throughout each day. An experiment that they both wanted to repeat endlessly. But instead, it did end...in one world, at least. And he feels the heartbreak as if it's his own. 

His own first kiss with Seungkwan, just months ago and only in this reality. The anticipation a heady feeling. The added excitement of being watched. Hansol standing with his front pressed firmly to Wonwoo’s back, his chin hooked over Wonwoo's shoulder, his eyes locked to Seungkwan's until the moment his eyes fluttered closed as his lips pressed against Wonwoo's for the first time.

Seungkwan’s pain during the argument last night. His desperation to remain in Seventeen. But the agony of having everyone so angry with him. The depression he's been repressing for months that has come out passive aggressively at everyone. The frustration of having to hide how he feels all of the time. 

And most of all… etched deeply into his psyche, an argument with Hansol on his birthday. He's replayed it in his mind so many times since that night that he remembers it word for word. And now Wonwoo remembers every moment.

_Several months ago, January 16th, 1:17 a.m._

Seungkwan shuts the hotel door behind him as quietly as possible, trying not to wake Hansol. 

"V-Live over?" His voice is rough with sleep, and hearing it brings the same flood of warmth to Seungkwan's chest that he'd felt when Chan pointed out that Hansol had fallen asleep in the hallway waiting to tell him happy birthday. 

"Yeah. Thanks for waiting up. You know you didn't have to." He isn't sure if he means now or earlier, but he'd needed it both times. 

"Course."

Seungkwan goes into the bathroom and readies for bed, then eyes the dark room before turning out the bathroom light. His still-made bed looks cold and sad. _He_ is cold and sad. There is always an emotional crash after the high of performing, but he's feeling it particularly strongly tonight. It's hard to be away from his family on his birthday, and to top it off, he'd built tonight up in his mind. He had looked forward to the joy of blowing out birthday candles on stage, celebrating with Carats. When the audience sang happy birthday to him - in English - and there was no birthday cake, a feeling of wrongness washed over him. Nothing about his birthday tonight had met his expectations. 

"Hansolie?" His voice sounds tiny, no more than a whisper, but Hansol hears it and rouses again anyway. 

"Hmm?" It's hardly more than a groan. Hansol had probably drifted almost back to sleep. 

"Can I…" He can't even say it. His throat clogs with the tears that he's trying to hold in. But Hansol knows anyway. He scoots to one side of his bed and holds the covers up to let Seungkwan scamper in, then wraps his arms around him in a comforting embrace. 

"Thanks," his tears escape with the words, and for several minutes, he just lets them flow. Hansol nuzzles into the back of his neck, peppering him with soft butterfly kisses and brushing his hair gently away from his face in the way that his mom had done when he was a boy. As trainees, he and Hansol had taught each other the best ways to comfort each other, when they were young and uncertain of their futures. 

Seungkwan feels young and uncertain now. "You know I love you, Sollie?"

"Mmhmm, love you too Kwanna. Forever and always."

"But I can't do this anymore, Hansol. It hurts too much. I'm twenty-three now and I feel like my life has been paused for five years. You're my best friend and my first love, but…"

Hansol sits up behind him, finally rousing fully from his much-needed sleep to lean over Seungkwan's side to look into his eyes as he answers. "We've talked about this, Seungkwan. I can't turn my feelings off and on for the camera. If I let myself love you, I love you to distraction. And you tend to get carried away with skinship. There's a reason Carats talk about Verkwan, you know. It isn't fair to everyone else for us to risk that kind of scandal. And besides…"

Seungkwan interrupts. He's heard all of the reasons over and over, so many times he can practically predict Hansol's every word before it's even formed on his lips. "I know. I know this. I do. We need to focus on our careers now, while we're young and successful," he parrots the next reason that Hansol is about to list. "And I've spent most of the past five years content to wait, content just being your best friend. But I feel like my life is passing me by, and I'm not content with that anymore." 

He sits up and turns to face the younger, wraps their hands together. "I understand your reasons. I'm not going to try to change your mind. I respect your resolve, and I'm not selfish enough to try to manipulate you into changing it. But I'm also not _selfless_ enough to continue down that same path just because you've chosen it. I'm ready to live a little…and…I've realized lately…" 

He looks away, towards the sliver of light that slants into the room around the blackout curtains. This is as difficult to say as he'd expected it to be, and almost impossible to say while looking at the man he's been in love with since they were young teenagers. But today is his birthday, and he's giving himself permission to try to grab some happiness where he can. "... I've realized… umm…that-I-kind-of-have-a-crush-on-someone." He has to spit the words out fast to be sure he actually manages to say them, and then he's finally able to pull his gaze back to Hansol's and quickly follows up with a reassurance. "Not that I love you any less though! I just… I need to be loved and cuddled… and kissed! God, I miss making out like we did before we debuted!"

But Hansol has already pulled his hands free, is backing away. "You've got to be freaking kidding me right now, Boo!" He stands up and turns his back to the bed, turns his back on Seungkwan, running his hands through his hair nervously. "Dating anyone comes with all of the same dangers and potential consequences. It isn't worth it! It isn't fair to them!" He flings an arm out, gesturing towards the rooms on either side of them. "Is this about Minki? Your lunch date with him before we left for America?" He speaks over Seungkwan's strangled 'No!' "Someone else then? Moonbin? Who have you even been around besides us?"

Hansol is pacing now, as ruffled as Seungkwan has ever seen him, and all he wants to do is backpedal, tell Hansol to forget he'd ever said anything. But Hansol turns to him, eyes wide. Of course he’s figured it out. "Lately? You said lately. It's someone else in Seventeen! You're willing to risk everything? All our careers, all our friendships? For a crush? When I'm struggling every day not to risk everything for _love_?" His voice breaks on the last word. "No! Seungkwan, you can't do that to me! To us!" He's breathing heavily, like after a long practice session. But this isn't from exertion. It's from panic. "I can't be in here right now. With you. Please don't…don't follow me. Not tonight." 

He bolts from the room, leaving Seungkwan alone.

He curls in on himself and sobs, covering his mouth with one hand to try to muffle the sound of his heart breaking. He'd never meant to hurt Hansol, had convinced himself that he was the only one desperately in love. That this wouldn't be as difficult for the other as it was for him. Now that he knows, though, he resolves to never mention it again, to ignore his crush and never act on it. He will suffer anything to ensure Hansol's happiness. Anything and everything. Hansol is all that matters. 

The next day, his face is puffy from crying so much. Thankfully, they have a couple of days off to travel, so he can hopefully pull himself back together. He's out of tears, but still miserable. To make matters worse, Hansol avoids him. Completely. 

And thus begins a pattern that has led to months of misery and disharmony between all thirteen members, but mostly...mostly with Seungkwan.


	9. Seungkwan

_Present_

Wonwoo stumbles back from Seungkwan, smashing into the light switch and thrusting the room into darkness. There isn't even any light to speak of coming through the windows, or at least not enough for Seungkwan's eyes, which are still adjusted to the brightness of the blazing overhead lights. 

Yelps of surprise sound from around the room, along with at least one hoot of unbridled joy that is most likely Hoshi. But he only hears the others peripherally, too focused on the cause of the darkness to care about the result.

He can only assume that Wonwoo backed away because he kissed him. But honestly, it was just a peck on the cheek. Even if Wonwoo doesn't remember the past several months, doesn't remember their relationship… doesn't _want_ their relationship… a kiss like that is something they've all done to each other for years. Of course, in addition to the kiss, he did come on pretty strong, doting on Wonwoo, worrying about his health...possibly acting like a boyfriend. Although, again, that's just how he acts. He's doted on all of the members for years, pushing vitamins and healthy choices, and more kisses and skinship than most of them actually want.

He wonders why Wonwoo isn't turning the lights back on, considers reaching behind him to feel around for the switch to turn them on himself, but discards the idea. He doesn't want to make his hyung any more uncomfortable, and if he's being honest, he can't handle another sign of rejection.

“Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me…” Jun’s tiny voice sounds from across the room, where he's still playing his game.

Unbidden, laughter bubbles up out of Seungkwan's throat, followed almost immediately by tears that are equally unintentional. How can he possibly be so filled with conflicting memories and emotions simultaneously? He is so happy with his life here and so absolutely miserable in the other reality that Wonwoo wants to return to. 

“Yahhh! Someone turn the lights back on!” Jeonghan’s voice. ”Kwanna, you know you could have just kissed him with the lights on and our eyes wouldn't have bled… well except maybe for my baby Channie’s.”

“Hyung! I'm not your baby! There aren't any cameras around!!” 

“Not the point, Baby Dino. The point is that someone needs to turn the lights back on.”

“I'll do it, hyung.” Seokmin, ever helpful, offers to navigate the room in the dark to fulfill Jeonghan's request. The sound of a chair scraping along the floor followed by a bump, a thump, Seokmin yelling, “Whoa...sorry!”, the crashing of a glass onto a plate, and then a shout of “Yahhh!” that Seungkwan thinks is Hoshi. And then, a gruff growling sort of noise that increases in volume rather quickly then cuts off in favor of several chuffs of what sounds like the rumble of a full size lion. When the chuffing is followed by a full fledged, ear splitting growl, Seungkwan is completely confused, but finally gets over any hesitation about grabbing Wonwoo in a full body embrace and reaches behind him to slap around on the wall for the light switch.

Even though he had heard the growl, he's completely unprepared to see a full grown tiger leaping onto the table after Seokmin, who is in the process of transforming from human to pigeon form. Seokmin flies up toward the ceiling, barely evading the sharp tiger teeth that snap shut right where his human hand had just been. The tiger bounds across the table after him, slinging plates and silverware and food with the force of his huge paws as he passes. 

Seungkwan presses his back into Wonwoo’s front, pushing his hyung tight against the wall, and putting himself between the giant cat headed almost directly for them and his boyfriend. A quick glance ensures that Hansol is safe, for the moment, with the tiger headed away from him. And later, Seungkwan will marvel that he thought it a good idea to protect Wonwoo. It's not as if he has any skill that would have any effect against a tiger. But in the heat of the moment, he was brave… or stupid… enough to try.

It never comes to that, though, because Seokmin banks a curve and heads into the living room. The tiger, without slowing from the bit of speed that it has managed to build up along their dinner table, plants his feet and leaps sideways after the pigeon. 

Wonwoo, watching from over Seungkwan's shoulder shouts, “Ceiling fan!” loudly enough to be heard over the din of chaos, just as Seungcheol shouts, “Shua, get Junnie!” 

Joshua is already diving across the room, stretching to get a finger onto the boy. The two suddenly disappear from the room, video controller clattering to the ground, just before the tiger lands on the couch and leaps again… straight into the blades of the ceiling fan that Seokmin managed to dodge above. The impact rips the fan from the ceiling, and both it and the tiger fall to the floor. The cat doesn't appear to be injured, but is slightly stunned for a moment, unsteady on its feet when it stands back up. 

Joshua rushes towards the tiger, Seungcheol shouting, “No, Shua! It's too dangerous!” But the last couple of words fall off as Joshua and the tiger disappear from the room.

It feels as if everyone holds their breath, waiting for Joshua to return. Seungkwan is certain that he, at least, doesn't manage to take in a lungful of air until several seconds and dozens of thudding heartbeats later, Joshua reappears in the center of the living room. Alone.

“He's on the island, but I'll have to go back for him soon or he’ll starve.” His words are addressed to everyone, but his eyes search out the other 95 liners.

Seungkwan does a quick head count of the members around the room, assessing for visible injuries as he goes. 

Mingyu is on top of Jihoon, under the table, their chairs toppled over, presumably from diving out of the way of the rampage. Jihoon is grumbling something about “giant” and “heavy” as he pushes at the bigger man to get off him, but it seems as if he waited until now to try to get free of Mingyu’s protective grasp.

Minghao is next to the sink, holding a sobbing Junhui, but at Seungkwan's questioning look, announces calmly, “Just afraid.” 

Seungcheol, Jeonghan, Chan, and Hansol are at the far end of the table, and were never in the tiger's path, so they all look relatively unruffled, though they've all jumped up from their seats at some point. 

Seokmin has fluttered over to perch on top of a bookshelf, his chest heaving from the effort to get away from the tiger, but he trills a tune that Seungkwan knows means “Gwenchana.”

And Hoshi, well, he’ll just have to assume he's alright for now. 

He finally relaxes a notch, only then realizing that Wonwoo has his arms wrapped tightly around him from behind, hands clasped together over his heart, chin hooked over his shoulder with his nose pressed into his neck. It feels like relief, but it also feels intimate. It doesn't feel like rejection, at least.

Wonwoo breaths, “Oh my God. That was… insane!” And his breath tickles his ear and it still feels intimate. It still doesn't feel like rejection. “No one told me that Hoshi could actually turn into a tiger here!” His voice is a bit louder, but still pitched only for Seungkwan to hear.

“No. He can't… couldn't. That was the first time.”

“Oh. Oh yeah, right. It was. Oh God. The talisman!” It's almost like Wonwoo is having a conversation with himself. “You asked him about it this morning. It's new. And unusual.”

Seungkwan has no idea how he knows that, but doesn't have time to consider it before Wonwoo grabs his hand and pulls away from the wall, dragging him over to the far side of the room, where Hansol is deep in discussion with the 95 line and Chan. He doesn't hesitate to interrupt. “The talisman. That's what we've been looking for.”

Hansol replies, “Yeah, Coups hyung was just saying that Seokmin fell in the dark, and he grabbed the necklace as he caught himself on Hoshi. Seokmin says that everything seemed normal… he seemed human… until then.”

Seungkwan glances into the kitchen, and detaches his hand from Wonwoo's to drift close to where Jihoon, Mingyu, and Minghao are now sitting on the floor attempting to cheer a frightened Junhui. Jihoon has the boy in his lap. Mingyu, facing them, is holding balled up pieces of paper that he's lit on fire. He tosses them into the air one by one and begins expertly juggling the fireballs. Minghao rolls his eyes and mouths “show-off” at him, but the fondness in his eyes belies the words. For his part, Seungkwan is very impressed. As, apparently, is Junhui, who begins clapping excitedly.

When Mingyu finishes with a flourish and then squeezes the balls in his hands to put out the flames, he raises an eyebrow at Minghao, as if to ask how he thinks he could ever top that performance. Only then does Seungkwan notice that he's holding the dry ice that he keeps around because it “eases his muscle pains after a long day of practice better than anything else.”

For every second of Minghao’s hesitation, the grin on Mingyu’s face gets wider and wider. But Minghao turns to Junhui. “I know this looks cool, but I want to remind you that fire will burn you badly and this ice will too. Promise me you won't try to play with either of them Junnie, or I won't show you my trick.” He holds out his hand toward Jun, fist balled around a piece of ice but pinky sticking outwards. 

Jun considers it for several moments then finally wraps his own pinky with Minghao’s and says, “I promise Haohao hyung.”

Minghao puts the pieces of dry ice from his hands into his mouth and rolls them around a few times. He tilts his head back and blows several huge smoke… err, fog… rings towards the ceiling. As they expand outwards, they begin to fall back towards the ground - _because hot air rises and cold air falls_ , Seungkwan reminds himself - and Minghao begins crunching the remaining ice in his mouth. When the rings begin to drop around Minghao’s body, he bursts into b-boying: spinning, kicking, and slashing out at the fog rings. It looks like a chaotic dance, but soon becomes apparent that he's landing precise hits on the fog to use it as a canvas. When he finishes with a head over heels flip into a single arm handstand, held as if paused for a moment, then into a triple spin across the floor that has him ending up in a cross legged seated position right in front of Junhui, the fog painting behind him looks like a field of flowers. Minghao blows on his hands, held together in front of his face and lifts one finger at a time, from left to right then back right to left, so fast that it seems like the fluttering of hummingbird wings, and then presents a tiny rose made of ice to Junhui. “This one is regular ice, so you can hold it.”

Junhui is too enthralled to even think about clapping. He takes the ice rose carefully from Minghao, barely breathing for fear that he'll damage it. And Seungkwan doesn't think he's ever seen Jun do anything carefully in this world… and only rarely in the other. “You're amazing, Haohao hyung!” He exclaims, forgetting for the moment to be careful. He sets the rose down next to Jihoon, then jumps up and begins mimicking Minghao's moves.

With a barely suppressed giggle, Seungkwan turns back to the serious discussion behind him. “So we're just going to send Shua back there by himself to bring Hoshi back? That sounds too dangerous!”

Joshua shakes his head. “No, I think it'll be fine. You know I play hide and seek with pumas at the zoo all the time.”

“Yeah, but you aren't trying to catch them and bring them back with you. You just have to avoid them until you teleport back.” Jeonghan is more agitated than Seungkwan has ever seen him, and after a bit more thought starts shaking his head. “Nope. No way are you going alone. I'm going with you.” 

“Hannie, what are you going to do to help? I'm serious. I'll be fine.”

“When people offer help, they always say ‘Need a hand?’ Well, I have three. I'm coming with you.”

“I'm going too, then.” Seungcheol moves closer to the others, as if Joshua might take off without him at any moment, even though their plan isn't fully formed.

“No, Cheolie, you need to stay here to get things ready. Jihoon should come with us, in case anything goes wrong.” Seungkwan thinks Joshua has just proposed the best suggestion that he's heard so far.

But Jeonghan and Seungcheol still look nervous and he wants to make them feel better, but they really do have to get Hoshi back. “Hyung, it's Hoshi. He's not going to hurt Shua hyung. Right?”

Seungcheol is the one who answers. “Once he transformed, his thoughts didn't sound the same. Not like you and Seokmin. When you two transform, your thoughts sound exactly the same either way. His sounded… like there was a primal urge in charge of his actions, with our Hoshi’s thoughts like a distant echo that I could barely hear.”

That sounds ominous, and Seungkwan wonders if Hansol should go, to try to understand what the tiger is saying. But even though he is worried about Joshua and Jeonghan and Jihoon, he realizes that the worry is different - deeper - when he considers Hansol or Wonwoo being in danger. And although that makes him even more empathetic for his hyungs’ worry, he decides, for once, to let them take charge.

They don't get much more planning done before Seungkwan feels a familiar tug, starting in his belly and spreading quickly throughout his body. He doesn't bother resisting, like he sometimes has to do when performances run long, so a few minutes later, he transforms back into a rat. For the first time, he doesn't feel relief being back to the form he prefers. With all of his other world memories back, mixed with the happiness he's experienced in this one, he's feeling comfortable in his own - human - skin again.


	10. Hoshi

Hoshi lashes his tail angrily. He's explored the entire island, prowling for something to chase, something to eat, something to do. He can't believe that they dumped him on a completely deserted island. 

But there's a part of him that doesn't blame them for doing so. A part of him that is glad. And that part is the part that's truly Hoshi.

He's been battling the tiger all day. Battling anger. Battling frustration about old issues that shouldn't be a problem anymore… thoughts like ‘I totally could have won the race if I'd gotten that last boost.’ Battling the desire to eat Seokmin up. 

And maybe that's an indication that he needs to start being honest about his feelings. With himself first, and then with Seokmin. For years now, he's pretended that he isn't in love with those beauty marks underneath his eye, and the smiley person they're attached to. For months now, in his head, he's been comparing his voice to that of a lovely song bird...and maybe that's why Seokmin ended up as a bird, although he's not sure why he ended up a pigeon specifically. 

And yeah, admittedly, he's been thinking that Seungkwan has been acting like a rat lately, or at least like a rat with a b in front of it. And sure, he could tell that Seungkwan was hurting, but he figured it was Seungkwan's fault. Because Hansol had been hurting too. Hoshi could hear his roommate’s unhappiness in his sighs each night, even if he managed to put on a good face during the day. And if Hansol and Seungkwan were both upset, well, it seemed a safe bet that it was the emotional one’s fault. 

Although really, he knows he should have stayed out of it. It was their personal issue, but it had gone on for soooooo long and he was tired of it and wanted his happy BooSeokSoon trio back, because without the Boo, it was too close to the relationship that he didn't let himself dream about. 

He just wanted everyone to be happy again, wanted things to be how they had been before Seungkwan’s birthday, when everything seemed to go all sideways. 

But he'd gone about things the wrong way, and when it had finally all come to a head...God, Seungkwan was planning to leave Seventeen? Go back to Jeju? That had never been his intention!! So when the dragon lady had offered him a talisman that would fix all of his problems, well, he hadn't believed her, but he'd taken it anyway. On the slight chance that it might work.

And when he woke up with two sets of memories, one of them dismally unhappy and the other quite the opposite, well, he figured he'd do everything he could to keep them all in the happy one. 

He just hadn't counted on the tiger being so much stronger than him.

When Seokmin grabbed onto the tiger charm around his neck at dinner, his control had slipped. He'd been managing up till then - although he'd realized that morning when Seungkwan grabbed it that he needed to be sure no one else touched it. But once his control slipped, the tiger had taken over, and Hoshi had been relegated to the back corner of his own mind.

Thank God Seokmin had flown into the living room. It had been all he could do to take over just long enough to knock himself out on the fan. And, as he'd hoped, Joshua had taken the opening he'd provided to get him out of there. To keep everyone safe.

Because while the tiger is in control, it feels like the only thoughts he can act on are the basest of instincts. The stronger an emotional reaction he has to an idea, the more likely the tiger will accept it and act upon it. Thus the angry tail lashing. The hunger. The feeling like a caged animal being stuck on such a small island all alone. 

He knows, deep down, though, that they're going to come for him. Probably sooner rather than later. And so he's resting, building up his mental strength, not trying to coerce the tiger to do anything other than what it wants to do… unless what it wants to do is rest as well. Because every time it tries to stop its pacing, he funnels all of his frustrations back into the front and center, ramping up the anger and frustration, pushing the tiger to use up its energy. 

At least, that's what he hopes he's doing. He hopes he isn't riling the tiger up, making it more aggressive.

Several more trips around the island and the sun is now high in the sky. Hoshi is beginning to wonder how long they're going to leave him here. He wonders what will happen when the tiger is exhausted, when it's starving, when it's thirsty, because in the heat of midday, all of those are feeling like possibilities.

He smells him before he sees him, back on the side of the island where they first arrived. Where the sand still smells like Jihoon and Mingyu. But now, the smell of Joshua’s arrival is rich with the heady scent of the meats that filled their table earlier. And the tiger is so hungry. And Hoshi is always hungry. 

They run across the island, back to where Joshua will be. But even with tiger speed, ten seconds isn't long enough to get there. He sees Joshua disappear, then quickly reappear a short distance away. Joshua doesn't see him at first, but he's scanning for him.

The tiger slows, stalking, prowling, not ready to alert his prey of his presence just yet. He crouches to the ground out of sight until Joshua disappears again. Hoshi was expecting it, knew it would happen, but having prey disappear from in front of his eyes isn't something the tiger is used to. He bounds over to the spot, sniffing around, curious.

Joshua reappears a third time. This time, Hoshi can see that Jihoon and Jeonghan are holding tightly to Joshua around his waist, their scents intermingling into one. And it's lucky that they didn't return to the same place, because the tiger is still investigating it. And Hoshi can't hold him back when he throws his muscular body forward across the sand in huge strides. But even with the insane burst of speed, the trio is gone before they reach him. 

It's impressive, really, how accurately Joshua was able to judge the distance the tiger would be able to run in ten seconds… which reminds Hoshi: Joshua plays with the cats at the zoo most mornings. He's even taken Junhui with him sometimes. That's how confident he is in his knowledge of the big cats. But Hoshi doesn't have any more time to contemplate, because there's a gift for them on the beach. Meat. Mmmm. Bulgogi. Both the tiger and Hoshi rumble their approval.

And after a few more trips and a few more presents left in the sand, the tiger still rushes towards the trio, but now, it's less as if they're prey, and more as if they might be the distributor of more meat. Because even though they've left several pieces, it has only been small morsels, not enough to even begin to satiate the hunger of such a large creature.

It takes a bit longer for them to return, but this time, the smell of the meat is overwhelming. This time, they've left a large pile of meat… inside a plexiglass cube surrounded by metal scaffolding that Hoshi recognizes as being from the Pledis building… one of the sets that they've been planning to use in an upcoming MV. He tamps down his reaction to seeing the cube, his reaction to seeing Jeonghan and Jihoon up in the scaffolding, not wanting to alert the tiger to the imminent likelihood of being caged. 

The tiger sees them. Of course he does. But their scents are familiar. They've been giving him meat. They aren't a danger. 

And so, they eat.

And Jeonghan and Jihoon release the latches that hold up the fourth plexiglass wall. 

The tiger doesn't really pay attention to the fact that they're caged, at first. He's too busy enjoying the pile of meat.

The tiger doesn't really pay attention when Joshua returns and teleports the whole contraption back to their basement practice room either.

But when eleven members of Seventeen surround the cage, the tiger definitely notices. He sniffs the air, smelling all of the new people, and he paces along the edge of the cube and feels the confines of his cage. And his gruff roar echoes around the practice room as a verbal exclamation of his anger.


	11. Wonwoo

Wonwoo is impressed by Joshua’s plan to lull the tiger into a false sense of security. He's maybe even more impressed by Joshua's patience in implementing the plan. To Wonwoo, witnessing it from the Pledis building in blinks of time as Joshua teleports to the island then returns and grabs more meat, it feels as if it is taking FOR-EVER.

And then, a literal blink, and the tiger is in the middle of their practice room, trapped inside a plexiglass cage. Even though it took a considerable chunk of time, he can't help thinking that it was almost too easy. They only have one more tricky step: get the necklace off the tiger while he's still eating. Shouldn't be too hard with Joshua’s teleporting, especially now that he's acclimated the tiger to him.

Of course, the moment he thinks that it might actually be simple is the moment the plan fails. The tiger loses all interest in eating; distracted, worried - angered? - by the presence of so many humans.

The roar that echoes around their practice room sounds sufficiently angry that Wonwoo doesn't need Hansol's ability to decipher the meaning. “We need a plan B,” he says, then looks over at Hansol to see one of his extreme reaction faces. He's staring at the tiger, mouth open wide, with amusement dancing in his eyes.

Wonwoo doesn't get a chance to ask about it before Joshua argues,”No, I still think I can do it. Once the necklace is off, he should go back to being Hoshi, right? I can get it off quickly enough, if I teleport onto his back.”

“No! No freaking way, Shua! You're not going to do that! I'm not letting you do that alone!” Jeonghan is just as adamantly against the idea as Joshua is certain it will work.

“There isn't room for two of us on his back, Hannie!”

“But you only have two arms! How will you hold on and get the necklace off at the same time?”

Seungcheol quietly interrupts their argument, “You're sure you can do it, Kwanna?”

Wonwoo feels his mind rejecting the idea - without even hearing it first - just as vehemently as Jeonghan has been, now that Seungkwan is involved. Before he can say anything, Seungcheol and Hansol are both talking.

Seungcheol again answering Seungkwan’s thoughts, “Yeah, we can raise the front high enough for you to get out, in case you lose contact with Shua.” 

“If the rest of us do things that distract him, that should help. Joshua is going to hold tight to Kwanna… he won't lose contact. And Jihoon will be ready to reverse time if something goes wrong. Kwanna, don't let anything go wrong, alright?” Hansol sounds just as uncomfortable with this idea as Wonwoo is, but he's keeping it to himself, and, Wonwoo realizes, he's trying to make _him_ as comfortable with the plan as possible. Because… yeah, it does sound like their best chance of getting the necklace off the tiger. But he still hates it.

“No Seokminnie, you are not going in there with them! There isn't enough room for you to get away from him and the only way out will be at the very bottom. You can fly around in front of the plexiglass and be just as distracting.” Seungcheol is using his leader voice, which he doesn't do often, but when he does, they all know it isn't worth arguing. When he digs his heels in on something, he will not be swayed. He picks his battles well, because the rest of the time, he's like a cuddly teddy bear.

Chan, Mingyu, and Minghao return - Wonwoo hadn't even noticed them leave - with drums and tambourines and cymbals. Wonwoo wonders if the distraction of the noise is worth the chance that all of it will just enrage the tiger even further. “Hansol, can you understand the tiger?”

“Yeah, when it vocalizes. And apparently Hoshi’s thoughts are still in there somewhere, because when it roared a few minutes ago, it was saying something about not getting a boost, and winning the race if it had.” 

And on that ridiculous note - is Hoshi really still harping on that? Enough for the tiger to pick up on it? - they decide it's time. Joshua climbs up the scaffolding and lies down in the center of the plexiglass, and Seungkwan scampers into his hands. Then Jihoon climbs up, to have an unobstructed view of the action. Jeonghan suggests that he and Wonwoo go up to lift the front wall, and to be ready to drop it again - or maybe lift it more - if it seems like it would help.

Once everyone is in place, Seungcheol counts “Hana, dul, set,” and everyone begins making as much noise and movement as possible. And this is Seventeen. They're the very definition of chaos when they aren't even trying. So when they are trying… seriously, the tiger has no chance of ignoring them. 

As Joshua and Seungkwan appear on his back, the tiger is lashing his head back and forth, trying to keep an eye on a dancing duo - Chan and little Junnie - while simultaneously keeping Mingyu and Minghao and their frantic drumming in sight, even though they're on opposite sides from one another. Seungcheol and Hansol, in front of the cube and therefore right in front of the tiger, are holding off for the moment, figuring additional distractions are unneeded. Because it seems like their plan might be working, might allow Joshua and Seungkwan to get the necklace on their first try. 

Then, it catches sight of Seokmin peripherally, fluttering around at the back of the cube, and it moves faster than Wonwoo would have thought possible, spinning around to face that wall rather than the front - slightly open - wall, and leaping up with its mouth open, ready to catch the pigeon. 

Joshua apparently isn't prepared for such a swift turn either and is thrown from the tiger’s back. But Seungkwan has his teeth firmly clamped onto the thick hemp braid of the necklace, attempting to chew through it. When the tiger hits face first into the back wall of plexiglass, the entire cube shudders with the impact, and the next second, Joshua teleports out.

He clearly intends to go right back in, to continue his job of holding Seungkwan in place while he completes his task. But the tiger is now in constant motion in its attempt to catch Seokmin, lunging and pirouetting in the small space, without care for whatever pain he might be inflicting on himself whenever he impacts the walls. As far as Wonwoo can tell, Seokmin looks terrified, even though he's outside of the cube, and the tiger is inside. 

Seungcheol shouts, “No, Shua! Not now.” And Wonwoo can tell that Hansol wants to argue, wants to have someone go in to rescue Seungkwan. He does too.

Because Seungkwan is the one in danger. And he appears well aware of that fact, clutching tightly to the necklace with his sharp, and hopefully strong, rodent incisors while his body spends the majority of the time in mid air. 

As the tiger executes a particularly agile turn, snapping his teeth on thin air and then slamming into the cube again, the sharpness of Seungkwan's teeth wins its war against the necklace. Seungkwan flies through the air on a tangential path to that of the tiger, and his little body hits the wall limply with a sickening thud. 

Wonwoo shouts, “Jihoon! Now!” 

But Seungcheol overrides him. “No! Jihoon hold off! Wonwoo, he's OK.”

True to the leader's words, Seungkwan looks alert and ready to move, but is waiting until he can be certain the tiger isn't going to see him. Seungcheol shouts, “Just a bit longer, Seokmin. Flutter hard. Make it look like you're tired. Over to the left. Everyone else, scream, dance, jump, whatever. Seungkwan needs lots of movement to cover his escape.”

The necklace is lying on the opposite side of the cube from Seungkwan, and Wonwoo is glad that Seungcheol said escape, and isn't planning to have Seungkwan run across the cube to get it. 

Hansol is on the same page, “Good job, Kwanna! Just be careful getting out of there. You've done enough. Now that the necklace is off the tiger, we can regroup and figure out how to get it out of there safely. The tiger might even fall asleep in there if we give it a while.”

The tiger has his back to Seungkwan, Seokmin holding its full attention with his fluttering, and then, obeying Seungcheol’s instruction, dropping to the ground and flitting around like an injured bird.

“Now, Kwanna!”

Seungkwan bolts for the opening at the front of the cube. He's so swift, so small. It's obvious that he's going to make it out.

But the tiger spins. Wonwoo has no idea what caught his attention, how he saw Seungkwan's movement with so much else going on. He thinks Seungkwan might still make it out, he's so close. 

The tiger pounces. 

Seungkwan's nose is out. His front paws. His fragile little body. 

The tiger lands, giant claws catching on Seungkwan's back leg. Wonwoo doesn't think he'll ever forget the sound of that scream. 

“Jihoon!!!” 

His yell isn't even needed. Everything rewinds by three seconds. But since he and Jihoon are the only ones who remember, there's no chance to do anything differently. The events are already in motion anyway. Seungkwan bolts.

Wonwoo watches closely. Thinks there might have been a reflection in the plexiglass. Everything plays out the same as before. “Jihoon, don't stop till he escapes cleanly!”

“Yeah, I know! Don't distract me!”

The tiger catches Seungkwan's back leg three more times - three more screams that will haunt him - before Wonwoo is certain. Before he has a plan. But he has so little time to work with. Even though he remembers, he gets rewound along with everyone else every time. 

Luckily, he and Jeonghan have been crouching, ready to move quickly if they needed to adjust the wall. Unluckily, they're at the front of the wall and he needs to get to the back to do anything about the reflection. He runs across the cube, pulling off his shirt as he goes and dropping it down to try to distract the tiger from the reflection. Five tries - and five more screams - and he knows he has to come up with something else.

In only three seconds, he can't possibly get down there, can't describe what needs to be done to anyone, and has just proven that he can't get anything from his person into place in time. 

Two more screams while he rethinks his plan.

“Shua! Lights off now!” Thankfully, the members are aware that Jihoon must be using his power. Joshua is quick to react to Wonwoo's command. 

There's no scream. 

Time rewinds by three seconds. “Jihoon?” 

“I couldn't see what happened. Didn't want to take the chance.”

Scream. Rewind.

“Once I stop, we're stuck with the outcome.”

“Shit!”

“Yeah. Be certain!”

Scream. Rewind.

It takes six more tries - blessedly silent tries - with Joshua hitting the lights and Wonwoo fumbling his phone from his pocket to have a bit of light to see below him, but finally he's sure. Seungkwan is getting out safely.

“Jihoon, it's working. We can stop.”

They do it once more, Wonwoo fully prepared to recant and shout to Jihoon if anything goes wrong, but when Seungkwan is out, he instead calls, “Lights on, Shua,” before collapsing. He wants to weep from the stress of the past three seconds - seconds that repeated who knows how many times. He wants to weep from relief. Instead, he just lies there, gulping breaths of air as if he's just finished a never ending session of Aju Nice. 

Glancing to the side, he sees Jihoon doing practically the same thing. “Thank you, Jihoonie.” He wants to say ‘Good work’ but that just seems so inadequate to encompass what he just accomplished. 

“You too.” Neither of them are the most vocal members of Seventeen, Jihoon seems to save up his words for lyric writing and Wonwoo mostly just holds his in, but that just means that they understand each other. What might have sounded terse to someone else is sufficient to convey all of the depth of meaning they each intended with those simple words. So Wonwoo lets his eyes fall shut and just continues to breathe.

Below them, Seungcheol, who has certainly heard what just happened from both his and Jihoon’s thoughts, has told everyone to take a break. Wonwoo hears him talking quietly, but isn't sure what he's saying until Hansol wraps him into a hug with Seungkwan sandwiched safely between them. 

It's just what he needs, and he knows the leader can hear his gratitude without him even bothering to try to form it into coherent thoughts. He just basks in his relief and joy that they are all safe. 

He has no idea how much time has passed when he finally regains awareness of everyone else around them. Jihoon is held tightly in Mingyu’s arms. Jeonghan, Joshua, and Seungcheol are all lying on the floor across the room, quietly chatting. Minghao, Chan, little Junhui, and pigeon Seokmin are sitting cross-legged in a small circle, playing four-way Animal Kingdom, with Seokmin modifying his calls on the others to his abilities. 

And Hoshi is still a tiger. He'd hoped that removing the talisman would be enough to have him transform back into human form. But no such luck. The tiger is still awake too, pacing the perimeter of his cage, watching his captors with distrust.


	12. Wonwoo

Eventually, the tiger had given up his pacing, opting instead to lie in the center of the cube and swivel his head periodically to try to keep everyone in sight. They'd all gathered on the ground in front of the cube to discuss their next steps quietly, which made it easier for the tiger to relax, with them all in one place. Eventually, he'd closed his eyes. They'd quieted as well, resting until they deemed it time for their new plan. Eventually, he'd fallen asleep. They'd held off, thinking it likely that the tiger was in a shallow sleep and might wake the moment they made their move. Eventually, Seungcheol had decided that it was asleep enough for them to grab the necklace.

Which brings them to now. Wonwoo has no idea how long all of those gradual steps took, but even though it seemed like a long time, he spent each second of it just being grateful that he had Hansol and Seungkwan close. He's pretty sure that he dozed off for a while, the sharp energy drop after an extreme and prolonged adrenaline high making him feel almost hungover. Little Junie apparently did the same, still passed out facedown on the floor nearby with his arms plastered to his sides instead of up under his head like a normal person would do. 

He's feeling somewhat refreshed now, and happy to notice water bottles set out next to each of the members, theirs already mostly gone. He downs an entire bottle in one go.

He doesn't like the plan for getting the necklace, because he has even less of a role than he was supposed to in the previous task. None of them have anything to do. Except Joshua, who is just going to teleport into the room, pick up the necklace, and wait to rebound back to his initial teleport spot ten seconds later. Jihoon explained, mostly for Wonwoo’s benefit, that he won't be able to help if Joshua gets into trouble, since he can only affect the final three seconds of Joshua’s trip into the cube.

The only backup plan anyone could devise was for Seungkwan and Seokmin to risk themselves to distract the tiger if he wakes up while Joshua is inside. And none of them likes that idea. Especially not Wonwoo or Hansol. But they didn't have anything better to suggest.

As Joshua squats down into position, Jeonghan reminds everyone with a quiet, “Don't make any unnecessary noise.” 

Almost simultaneously, Hansol whispers to Joshua, “I think… just… wait to pick it up until right before you teleport out. I have a feeling that's important.” Wonwoo reaches over and takes Hansol’s hand in his, wishing he could wrap his arms around the younger man while they wait, but they aren't supposed to move unless they absolutely have to.

Seungcheol counts, lifting one finger at a time as he mouths, “Hana, dul, set.” And Joshua disappears from in front of them, reappearing a millisecond later right next to the necklace. Right next to the tiger too. He's already kneeling, so he won't have to make that position change while in the cube.

It seems like a ridiculous thought at a time like this, but Wonwoo finds himself thinking it's lucky that they do ASMR challenges, because they are well versed in how to do things quietly. They know that whispering can be worse than just trying to keep your voice low. And sometimes, the most innocent of movements can cause a loud racket.

Consequently, even though they are all tempted to just hold their breath, they know that it's a better idea to just keep breathing evenly while they watch Joshua, counting down until he'll be back safely outside. Seungcheol has a silent timer going, tapping Jeonghan on the leg to give him the count while Jeonghan is keeping a close eye on Joshua. Wonwoo assumes about eight seconds has passed when Joshua gently grips the necklace between two fingers, not lifting it, not giving it a chance to clink on anything and wake the tiger.

But it doesn't seem to matter that they've done everything right. Just touching the necklace wakes him. He lifts his head with a roar that has Joshua stumbling backwards into the wall, then leaps gracefully up with his mouth open menacingly. His front paws hit Shua first, pinning him to the wall, and then his jaws snap shut on emptiness as Joshua reappears beside them.

The collective sigh of relief catches the confused tiger's attention, and he turns, zeroing in on the necklace as if there's a homing beacon inside. He charges, fully aware of the boundary of plexiglass surrounding him after hours of pacing, lowering his head so that his powerful shoulders will bear the brunt of his impact. 

It hadn't occurred to any of them that raising the wall might weaken its structural integrity, and besides, they needed it open so Seungkwan could go back in to help Joshua if it came to that. In hindsight, maybe they should have thought of it, but Wonwoo isn't sure that he would have thought it would be a problem, even if they had considered it.

When the tiger hits the front wall with all of his body weight behind the impact, the wall breaks free from the restraints that had been holding it in place and flies across the room. Luckily, it doesn't hit anyone. By the time it is smashing into the studio wall behind them, Jihoon has rewound time, but the tiger is already charging. 

“Wonwoo, little help please!” Jihoon’s words are strained with the effort of concentrating. He keeps looping time while Wonwoo considers options.

No matter how he slices it, though, three seconds doesn't let them keep the tiger from escaping the cube. It seems to be going directly for Joshua, which seems to imply it either recognizes him or knows who is holding the talisman. Best option seems to be to have him teleport to the top of the cube out of the tiger's path. Of course, that leaves everyone else around him vulnerable if Wonwoo is wrong.

“Shua, top of the cube.” There isn't time for any clarification.

Jihoon shouts, “Are you sure?” as he rewinds time again and waits for Wonwoo's answer.

“Not really, but it's the best I can think of.” Jihoon nods, and does it one more time, forcing Wonwoo to call to Joshua again.

Joshua replies with a total nonsequitur, “Hoshi fucking betrayed me in that haunted house!” But follows Wonwoo's instructions and teleports. Then continues, sounding angrier than Wonwoo has ever heard him, “And I can't believe everyone was ready to sell me out as mafia just because I was tired!” Joshua just doesn't get angry. Ever. He takes things calmly at face value and, at worst, makes you embarrassed for not rising up to the high standards that he expects everyone to achieve.

Jihoon starts another time loop, giving them time to assess the tiger's response to Joshua disappearing again. The tiger does pretty much what Wonwoo expected… he ignores everyone else in his single-minded desire to get to the necklace. Wonwoo is, however, stumped by Joshua's sudden anger. It has to stem from holding the talisman, though, right? Nothing else would make any sense. 

Regardless, he gives Jihoon a nod, signaling him to let time flow naturally again. The tiger begins struggling its way up the scaffolding.

Even though it feels like the tiger has been loose for several minutes already, it's only been a few seconds for everyone else. Seungcheol, to his credit, sticks to the plan they devised earlier, improvising now that they have a tiger after them, and implements it quickly. “Shua, toss it to Jeonghannie. Chan get up there and give me a view of the whole room. We need to destroy this thing!”

Joshua looks truly pissed, for once wiping that eternal upturn to his lips, but does as instructed, throwing the necklace with enough force to ensure it reaches his boyfriends. Jeonghan catches it easily in two of his three hands, then bends to set it on the ground, using the hammer in his third hand to smash the pendant. 

Seungcheol, attuned to the actions of Jeonghan at his feet, doesn't stop giving instructions. “Hansol, see if you can talk to the tiger. Calm it down. Find Hoshi in there?”

Hansol begins talking quietly to the tiger as it extricates itself from the scaffolding and gets a fierce growl in response. 

Even though Jeonghan lands a solid hit, the hammer rebounds without doing any damage. He lets out a yelp of frustration, then, under his breath mutters, “I can't believe Seokmin wanted to room with Gyu instead of me!!! And announced it on a V-Live as if that wouldn't embarrass me!!” He pulls a nail out of his pocket, placing the sharp point in the center of the tiger talisman and lands the hammer one more time with a ferocity that surprises Wonwoo.

Wonwoo is impressed by Seungcheol’s ability to divide his attention so many ways. The leader has his eyes closed, apparently monitoring the room through everyone’s thoughts. “Hannie, throw the talisman straight up. Seokmin, take Hoshi for a run.”

Seokmin swoops past just as Jeonghan tosses the necklace into the air and deftly catches it in his talons. The tiger slides in a curve, angling to follow Seokmin. Seungkwan leaps to follow, bounding across equipment along the edge of the room in the way only a rat can do, ready to catch the necklace if Seokmin needs to toss it.

The chaos has finally woken Junhui, who sits up, rubbing his eyes and then stretching with a yawn. 

“Gyu, get a fire started. We need this done!” Seungcheol is cycling through their ideas on how to destroy the talisman. “Hao, in case fire doesn't work, have Shua take you to get some dry ice.” 

Wonwoo is listening but tracking the movements of the three animals as they race around the outer edges of the room, Seokmin tossing the necklace to Seungkwan whenever the tiger gets too close.

It doesn't take long for Mingyu to start a fire in one of the room’s small trash bins, feeding it with scrap paper. Seungcheol shouts for the BooSeok duo to get the talisman to Mingyu. Seokmin flings it to Seungkwan who passes it off to Wonwoo. In the few moments it takes for him to deliver it to Mingyu, he can feel anger about past, unresolved slights bubbling up from wherever they've been lying dormant and forgotten. _Why did Hoshi insist on performing Hurricane without me after we'd prepared it together?_ And _Why did everyone but Seungkwan make me look like an idiot on Boo Seungkwan's Past Life Destiny?_ And thinking about Seungkwan brings all of _his_ memories of frustration to the surface. But then the necklace is out of his hands and flying through the air to Mingyu.

Mingyu thrusts the necklace deep into the flames, holding it in place. The hemp cord flares brightly as it catches and burns. When it has turned to ash, Wonwoo finally breathes a sigh of relief.

But Chan’s voice, high, panicked, pulls him back to reality. “Mingyu hyung! Watch out!”

Joshua appears next to Mingyu, grabs him in a bear hug, and topples the two of them away from the fire just as the tiger barrels through the spot where they'd been standing. Using the momentum of its charge, it knocks the trash bin from its spot on the floor into the nearby wall, a trail of burning paper spilling out haphazardly, and a glowing red hot tiger effigy coming to rest in the midst of it all. 

Undamaged, so far as Wonwoo could see, and quickly fading as it cools.

A blur of motion flies past that he belatedly realizes is little Junhui, doing cartwheels across the room. He doesn't even slow as he flips past the tiger, but when he moves on, the tiger pendant is no longer on the floor. 

“Careful, Junie, it's hot!” Of course, the warning comes too late, because the boy is already holding it before anyone could get a warning out.

The tiger roars angrily, starting to follow Jun, but he's already flipped the talisman to Minghao. “You do your trick now, Hao hyung.” He's doing a handstand as he casually adds, “I wonder what would happen if you and Gyu hyung merged your fire and ice.”

Seungcheol seems to be as excited by this idea as Wonwoo is, because he shouts, “Do it. Let's try it now. Shua, take the talisman down the hall first, to give them time to get ready.”

Mingyu retrieves the trash bin and quickly lights another fire inside, Wonwoo running over with some papers to feed the flames. Then he sits facing Minghao. They can't mess up and touch the other with fire or ice.

And then Joshua returns and drops the innocuous-looking figurine between them. Mingyu pulls a flaming piece of paper from the bin and holds it to one side of the talisman while Minghao holds dry ice to the other. Nothing happens.

The tiger bursts back into the room with a giant roar.

“Keep going!” shouts Hansol, “The tiger is upset, so it must be working!”

The tiger is charging towards the two, seated on the floor, unable to get out of the way until their task is complete, so Hansol steps in its path. He has his hands out in a calming, placating gesture, but his words are for Hoshi. “Hyung, you have to fight the tiger. Try to get back to us, to protect us.” Wonwoo joins him, side by side, blocking Mingyu and Minghao. Then Seungcheol, Joshua, and Jeonghan are there. 

A loud crack echoes around the room. The tiger shudders to a stop, sinking to its knees, and then curls onto the floor, a defeated roar on its tongue, trailing off into a weak but triumphant, “Horanghae!!!” And then Hoshi is lying in its place, curled into a fetal position with a thick, fluffy tiger striped blanket wrapped around his otherwise his naked body. He looks exhausted, eyes barely open, body shivering slightly in the cool air of the practice room, but his trademark toothy smile is peeking out from the blanket. “Knew we could do it!” his voice is gravelly, perhaps from all of the roaring, and his eyes drift closed almost as soon as the words are out of his mouth.


	13. Wonwoo

After Joshua teleports Hoshi to his bedroom, the rest of the group walks back to the dorms together. The bright daylight, when they emerge from the Pledis building, is almost blinding after so many hours in the basement. Wonwoo hadn't realized that they had spent the entire night and a good part of the next day down there. He must have slept longer than he'd realized while waiting for the tiger to calm down.

Even though everyone remembers both realities now, the mood between them is significantly better than it has been for months in Wonwoo's memory. They're all a bit euphoric over their recent victory - Junie is skipping circles around the rest of them singing a made up tune about defeating a tiger, pausing every now and then to do a Hoshi-esque tiger face with both hands curled into paws - but Wonwoo hopes that maybe it's more than just winning that has improved their relationships.

As they walk, Seungcheol orders enough food for several feasts, announcing, “We’ll eat in our apartment and clean up upstairs tomorrow after we all get some sleep.” Wonwoo had almost forgotten about the mess the tiger had made of last night's dinner. “And after we eat, we're going to sit down and talk through all of our problems. We're going to stay up until everything is resolved, like we used to do.”

So they do just that. Seokmin and Seungkwan transform to their human forms, and Hoshi stumbles out in an oversized hoodie and sweats, looking exhausted but no worse from the ordeal. They eat. And they talk. And most of the complaints that come out are small and petty, and honestly, once it's been said, whoever was upset about it gets over it. 

Because even though they've all been at each other's throats, the ultimate truth is that they all love each other deeply. 

Even Chan’s final complaint, “Kwanna, I'm not going to call you the hyung that I respect and have the most to learn from!” has little heat and seems mostly intended to make them laugh… at least, that's the effect it has on the rest of them. So Chan adds to Jeonghan, for good measure, “And I'm not a baby!”

Jeonghan's ‘You'll always be my baby’ is mostly ignored in favor of Junhui’s shouts, “Let's build a blanket fort and all sleep together in the living room! Blanket fort! Blanket fort! Blanket fort!”

While Seokmin, Minghao, Jeonghan, and Chan leave the room with Jun to gather blankets and pillows for a blanket fort, Hoshi pulls Seungkwan down on top of him on the couch, wrapping the younger in his arms in a protective hug and speaking quietly, “Kwanna, I'm so sorry! I could see that you were unhappy, but instead of trying to understand or help, I just tried to bully you into giving up whatever argument you were having with Hansol. I should have realized that you wouldn't have carried on so long if it were something that could be fixed easily.”

“No, I'm sorry too! I shouldn't have been lashing out at everyone just because I was in pain and trying to hide it. I never want to leave Seventeen! I love all of you so much!!”

“We love you too! I'm sure we'll all still be together when we're in our seventies!!” He squeezes Seungkwan even tighter and pokes him to make him giggle. “But for now, on the assumption that we somehow manage to remember all of this tomorrow, I think you need to go work through some things with my bestie and my roomie!” Hoshi nods at Wonwoo, standing over them, who only then realizes that he's been listening in on their private conversation with hearts in his eyes at how happy their reconciliation makes him. Then Hoshi adds to both of them, “And don't worry. I'm sleeping out here tonight.”

Seungkwan reaches up for Wonwoo’s hand, and he tugs him off Hoshi, then turns to find Hansol waiting for them expectantly. 

Mingyu and Jihoon have disappeared, but everyone else is starting to work on Jun’s fort.

On their way out of the room, Wonwoo feels guilty leaving them, and stops to apologize to Jeonghan and Joshua. He waves Hansol and Seungkwan on to Hansol’s room. “Hyung, is it ok if we don't sleep out here? I know Junie wanted everyone, but I'm worried that we won't remember any of this tomorrow, and am hoping that somehow… we can ensure that we do.”

Ever thoughtful, Joshua quickly reassures him. “Yea, it's fine. You go ahead. We can stay out here with Jun and the others.”

“But, hyung, you might not have any memory of any of this tomorrow either.”

This time, Jeonghan answers, “That's OK. Other than having powers, this reality wasn't really much different for us. We've been dating for years… Unlike the rest of you, who are apparently too emotionally constipated to figure things out.” Jeonghan looks so smug saying the words, but he finishes with a sincerity that he rarely lets show. “I really _do_ hope you remember, so you can all finally be happy. That's the best part of this reality, is how happy the rest of you are when you all get your heads out of your asses.”

Before he opens Hansol's door, Wonwoo lets his mind drift through Seungkwan's memories of the past several months, lets himself really absorb just how truly content they'd been. It isn't just that they were happy in comparison to the other reality. They were downright blissful once they settled into their relationship.

And he wants. He aches with the desire to have that. Not just to keep the memories when he wakes up tomorrow, but to have Seungkwan and Hansol next to him when he wakes up each morning from tomorrow forward. To walk off stage after each performance and share their exhilaration - as he does with all of the members - but to have that extra connection to his boyfriends. To confide in them, all of his worries and fears, as well as his achievements and joys. And to share in theirs as well. Oh! How he wants!

And despite the fact that he's spent the past several hours - whenever he had spare brain power to think selfishly - romanticising his first kiss with Hansol and Seungkwan, he is hit with the sudden realization that he couldn't care less about this first kiss. He has the memories of their first kisses - from Seungkwan's perspective - and sure, they were lovely. But the only thing that matters to him right now is ensuring that there are _many many_ more kisses in the days to come.

He pushes into the room with single-minded purpose, demanding, “I want to wake up tomorrow so tangled together that even if we can't remember any of this, we'll be forced to talk things through. I can't stand the thought of losing this. Of losing the three of us.” He stands there in the doorway, forcing himself to hold back, to wait for a response, breathing heavily from the effort. He assumes they are both on the same page, but doesn't want assumptions.

Hansol's huge, gummy smile that stretches across his entire face is his first answer. It's followed quickly by a giggle that bubbles out of Seungkwan's throat, sounding almost wet with tears.

And he can't hold himself back for more. Can't wait for words of agreement when he has those positive cues. He charges them without any more concern for a sweet, romantic first kiss, slowing just enough that he won't hurt them as he pushes them both backwards to the bed then follows them down. He takes Hansol's mouth in a passionate and sloppy kiss, then Seungkwan. Then more from each, his pace frantic, as if their memories might disappear at any moment and the only way to ensure they'll remember is the slight bruising of their lips from his. 

When he lets up for a moment and they take kisses from each other, he turns his attention to the exposed skin of their necks, leaving marks that will surely remind them tomorrow of all they need to remember.

It's several long minutes later when Hansol finally replies, “Kwanna and I were debating whether it would work to have one of us stay awake. Maybe we could retain our memories if we don't sleep, then tell the others when they wake up?”

Seungkwan adds,”Or write it all down? I mean, it isn't as if a piece of paper is going to disappear while we sleep, is it?”

“I thought about trying to stay awake, but what if that just keeps us here?” Hansol acquiesces with a nod, as if he's already had that concern as well. ”Seungkwan, try the note. Somehow, we have to make this work.” 

\---

When Wonwoo wakes up with an arm and a leg draped over Seungkwan, and feels Hansol’s body pressed tight against his back, his first thought is that he's achieved the nirvana of perfect contentment. He almost lets himself fall back asleep before he's hit with a second thought - to look for the long letter Seungkwan wrote to himself. To his relief, it's still sitting on the desk beside Hansol's bed. And then he realizes that it isn't important, since he still remembers the events of the previous two days, and still has Seungkwan's memories as well.

Of course, then he worries that maybe they're still in the alternate reality where people have powers. There was no guarantee that destroying the tiger talisman was actually the key to getting home. Seungkwan hasn't changed back into a rat during the night though, so that's one good sign, but he needs to be sure.

But before he convinces himself to move, to wake fully from this moment of half sleep in his lovers’ embraces, he drinks in the sight of Seungkwan, his deep red hair splayed out across the pillow, the pale skin of his exposed chest marked with bruises that almost match his hair. Even if he hadn't woken with his memories, this would surely have been enough to convince him to go after the life that he'd coveted for so long. 

He leans forward to place a gentle kiss on Seungkwan's temple. 

The instant his lips touch Seungkwan, Wonwoo gets dizzy as the rush of events realigning themselves into a new reality makes him feel as if he is spinning through a vortex. He still has his own memories, and Seungkwan's, but they're becoming hazy as a new set takes prominence.

Seungkwan adding his beautiful voice to more lines of the songs on their recent album, singing his heart out at the climaxes to add depth and power. Hansol telling their boyfriend that this album fits him best. Hoshi adding cute choreography that reminds them all how much they adore their Jeju boy - lifting him up to float across the stage as he sings his lines with a huge smile on his face. The whole group adding a refrain of “Kwanna Kwanna” to their fan chant. 

Many things actually remain the same in these new memories. They don't get to rewind time and set all of these events to rights all the way back at Seungkwan’s birthday. They still have to live with memories of the months of passive aggressive angst caused by Seungkwan’s depression and Soonyoung’s retaliations. But at least the professional side of their lives is rewritten to be as it should have been. 

And as for the rest of it, they also remember that they've worked through all of their issues. And not one of them would trade any set of their memories, because their period of conflict led to emotional growth and a closeness that each of them cherishes. Without those memories to remind them, they might slip back into the habits of these past months. And their memories of the world with powers, where they never experienced any of the negativity, gives them a goal to achieve. It sets the bar high, to a level of cooperation and understanding that they all strive for on a daily basis.

\--- 

A few months later, as they lie in bed one morning after long days of their most recent comeback, Wonwoo’s mind drifts over the events of this crazy year. “I wonder why all of the other idols had abilities that were so much better than everyone’s in Seventeen.”

Hansol hums, the vibrations tickling Wonwoo’s chest. “I guess so that you wouldn't be tempted to just stay there. I know you considered it. I did too. With all of the uncertainty of getting to this moment in time, it seemed like the easier path to happiness.”

“I was definitely tempted.”

“Yah! You couldn't leave me stuck as a rat forever! No matter how good everyone else's abilities were!” Seungkwan pokes Wonwoo in the cheek then chases his fingers with his lips, pressing a soft pouty kiss to Wonwoo’s cheek. “I wouldn't have been able to do this whenever I wanted.”

Wonwoo turns and catches his lips with his own and replies, “Or this.” And again. “I would willingly give up all of the abilities of that other world to be right here with the two of you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, and for sticking with me till the end of this story! I really hope you enjoyed this journey!! 
> 
> My initial intent was to create a ridiculously humorous story based on Going seventeen antics, but then plot took a more serious turn. I hope enough humor still came through to do them justice.
> 
> And I really hope that Boo Seungkwan has an amazingly wonderful birthday in 2021!!! (I was at the concert on his birthday in 2020, and keep wishing I could do the same again this year!!)


End file.
